Lithuania and Hong Kong hospitals see rise in severe summer child injuries

In late June, Šiauliai Hospital in Lithuania treated two toddlers who fell from windows on the fourth and fifth floors of a residential building. Both children suffered critical injuries, including severe head trauma, broken ribs and internal damage, and were stabilised before being transferred to the intensive care unit at Kaunas Clinics. Doctors warned that open windows in warm weather pose a serious risk to children under five and urged parents to use window restrictors and supervise young children closely.

At the same time, hospitals in Hong Kong reported a three‑fold increase in paediatric emergencies during the summer. The most common causes were falls and collisions involving electric scooters, bikes and quad‑bikes, while heat‑related problems such as sunburn and heatstroke also surged. Orthopaedic surgeon D. K. Sivickis called for tighter regulation of e‑scooters and stressed the need for helmets, elbow and knee protectors, and shade or sunscreen to protect children from the intense heat.