Independence Day: Young girl hospitalized with burns from foam spray

Like every year, as Israeli Independence Day approaches, foam spray takes center stage in children's games. Eliah Oren, 12, from Hadera, and her friends also played with foam spray, but for Eliah the game ended with burns in both eyes. Neither Eliah nor her parents thought that a simple game like this would end in the emergency room and with a hospital stay. Yesterday, after playing with the spray, Eliah started to feel a burning sensation in her eyes and was rushed to the emergency room.

Her mother, Ravid, recounted, “Yesterday afternoon Eliah called me and said that when she was playing with her friends, foam got into her eyes. Although she washed her face well, after a short while she started to feel that her eyes were ‘burning.’ At some point, Elia came home and was literally writhing in pain. She knows how to face challenges and deal with pain, because she’s involved in the demanding sport of windsurfing, and suddenly she was just screaming in pain. We raced with her to the ER at Hillel Yaffe.”

In the Hillel Yaffe's Pediatric ER, Eliah was examined by a pediatrician and ophthalmologist, who determined that she was suffering from first-degree burns in both eyes. She was hospitalized for observation and to receive specific treatment for her eyes.

Dr. Doron Yitzhaki of Hillel Yaffe’s Ophthalmology Department and Eliah

Eliah is not alone. Hillel Yaffe's Pediatrics Department reported that around Independence Day several children came in with similar injuries due to foam and other sprays.

Dr. Doron Yitzhaki of Hillel Yaffe’s Ophthalmology Department, who treated Eliah, explained, “Eliah is currently being treated for first-degree burns, but to ensure the safety of children and adults - I advise against playing with sprays during the holiday.”

Eliah and her parents, Ravid and Elad, also ask that parents and children be made aware and implore everybody not to buy and play with spray. “We didn't know that these sprays could have these kinds of consequences. As far as we're concerned, they need to be banned. A warning alone – is not enough.” And Eliah added, “I don't want any other child to experience that kind of pain.”