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Doctor gives advice for keeping your family safe around fireworks

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Kids and Fireworks

(WQOW) - Sparklers, roman candles and firecrackers: all signs of the Fourth of July. But what area doctors hear instead is: burns, eye injuries, and loss of fingers.

"Keep it fun, keep it safe so no one gets hurt," said Dr. Nicholas Kuehnel, a physician at UW Health Kids.

Every year, 3000 kids are injured from fireworks, according to doctors from UW Health. Those injuries vary in severity but the most common is burns. Even the fireworks traditionally saved for kids, like sparklers, can reach up to 2000 degrees.

"Sparklers are a really fun thing that we see at fireworks. However, they do get very hot and we do see those commonly cause injuries in kids," Kuehnel said. "So, one alternative would be to use glow sticks. That can keep it fun and still have that energy and keep the kids safe."

Other safety tips for parents: assign an adult to supervise children at all times around fireworks. And, don't forget to protect their ears. Some fireworks can be really loud so bring ear plugs.

Kuehnel said it is best to leave fireworks to the trained professionals, and remind your kids to never pick up fireworks after they have come down because they can still be hot.

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News Director

Kristen Shill has been with News 18 for more than a decade. She is an Eau Claire native and News Director for WQOW. 

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