In the conditions of a full-scale war, Ukrainian children risk their lives every day due to rocket attacks, shelling, mined areas, and lack of shelter. However, the physical threat lies in wait for them not only from the outside. Even in their own home, where, it would seem, there is a roof, warmth and parental supervision, a child can be in a critical condition. We are not talking about fatal accidents, but about things that could be prevented if it were not for neglecting the rules for using gas appliances.
Extraordinary event in Kryvyi Rih
One of such unfortunate but revealing cases happened the other day in Kryvyi Rih. Two little sisters – eight and ten years old – ended up in intensive care due to a faulty gas column. As reported “Dnipro Operative”, the tragedy almost became fatal. The girls were playing in a room where a gas column had been working for a long time. Over time, both began to lose consciousness, one began to have convulsions. Only a timely emergency call and timely oxygen therapy saved their lives.
The diagnosis is acute carbon monoxide poisoning. There was no gas leak, no explosion, and no foreign odors in the air. However, the lack of proper ventilation, prolonged operation of the column and lack of attention from adults created a critical situation. Unfortunately, such situations are not unique. Dozens of cases of carbon monoxide poisoning among children are registered in Ukraine every year, including those with fatal consequences. And many of them have the same factors: outdated equipment, ignoring checks, lack of ventilation, parental habit of leaving the speaker turned on unattended.
What you need to know about carbon monoxide and why it is dangerous
Unlike domestic gas, carbon monoxide (carbon monoxide, CO) has neither smell nor color. A person is not able to independently notice its accumulation in the air. At the same time, carbon monoxide is highly toxic — it blocks the blood’s ability to carry oxygen, affecting the brain and heart. Even a short stay in a room with a high concentration of CO can cause loss of consciousness, convulsions, coma and death. Children are especially vulnerable to poisoning.
The most dangerous are the cases when the gas column or boiler works in a closed room – a bathroom, a kitchen with sealed windows, a basement without an exhaust hood. If there is no inflow of fresh air, the gas will not burn completely, and carbon monoxide will begin to accumulate in the air. All this — without any warning, without a characteristic smell, without visible signs.
Why is this especially relevant in the conditions of war
During the war, domestic security took a back seat. Some families live in temporary housing, some live in old housing that does not have any maintenance. Due to the damaged infrastructure, interruptions with electricity and heat, alternative sources of heating are increasingly used: gas columns, boilers, generators. This only increases the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, especially in closed rooms with poor ventilation.
Parents, being in a state of constant stress, may not notice the first symptoms of poisoning: headache, weakness, nausea. In children, these signs develop rapidly and sometimes appear already at the stage of loss of consciousness. If there are no adults nearby or there is no habit of responding to complaints immediately, the consequences can be irreversible.
Recommendations for parents
Regularly check the serviceability of gas columns, boilers and heaters. This is the duty not only of the landlord, but also of the residents. If there is no official technical inspection, do not use the device.
Provide air access. A working gas appliance is always a risk with sealed windows and closed doors. There should always be an extractor hood or a drive window in the bathroom.
Never leave a working gas column unattended, especially when there are children in the room. Even if you are nearby, it does not guarantee safety. The column should not be a background in everyday life.
Do not allow children to play in rooms where gas appliances are installed. Even if the speaker is turned off, it does not change the level of danger.
Install a carbon monoxide detector. This is an inexpensive device (from UAH 300) that can notify about the accumulation of CO. The device is not required, but it is often the only way to detect the problem in time.
Teach children the rules of handling household appliances. In wartime, children often stay at home alone. They should know what not to turn on, where not to be, who to call in case of feeling unwell.
