A tradition at New Year’s Eve, the burning of fireworks brings harm to part of the population most sensitive to the noise caused by the explosion of fireworks. Among them, the elderly, children and people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Neuropediatrician and professor at the School of Medicine and Life Sciences at the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (PUCPR), Anderson Nitsche, explains that the effects of fireworks on autistic people can go beyond turnaround time. 
“Children and autistic people are more sensitive to sound and this causes a momentary disturbance, but it can even last longer, causing insomnia for a few days”, says the professor.
Faced with intense noise, people on the autistic spectrum can experience what is called a sensory crisis, in which the stimulus generates behavioral changes ranging from anxiety and the desire to escape that environment, to aggression towards themselves or other people around them.
The neurologist and clinical director of Hospital INC (Instituto de Neurologia de Curitiba), Vanessa Rizelio, explains that people who have ASD are unable to process that that loud noise, for a prolonged period, is a moment of celebration – since, for them, it promotes an unpleasant sensation that is not well processed by the brain.
“Their brain understands it as something negative, something that is causing discomfort and the reaction will be to get out of that situation. Often, this will manifest itself as anxiety, irritability, in addition to the loss of sleep that can impact until the next day”, highlights Vanessa.
Founder of the Neurology Association of the State of Rio de Janeiro (ANERJ), pediatric neurologist Solange Vianna Dultra, points out other effects that fireworks can trigger in these people’s bodies.
“The heart gives a rush of adrenaline, speeds up, the pressure rises. They can’t understand that it’s a party. It’s as if they’re in the middle of a shootout. Some people even get out of control during recess at school because of the noise”, explained the specialist.
Alternatives
Some Brazilian cities have already begun to review the practice of fireworks at New Year’s Eve in public celebrations and there is specific legislation prohibiting noisy artifacts. The adoption of noiseless fireworks, light shows and drone presentations are alternatives to preserve the symbolism of celebrations, without imposing a sensory cost on part of the population.
The psychologist with specializations in neuropsychology and mental health, Ana Maria Nascimento, believes that these alternatives maintain the collective character of the party and expand the right to participation. In a context where there are already solutions to noise, she argues that insisting on the use of noisy fireworks “seems like a gesture of indifference”.
“Celebrating presupposes coexistence. When the joy of some depends on the suffering of others, it is legitimate to question whether this tradition still makes sense.”
Pediatric neurologist Solange Vianna highlights that the suffering caused by the noise of fireworks is not just for the autistic child, but for the entire family. She points out that, in the case of silent fires, brightness is not a problem, because the family simply needs to keep the child with ASD away from windows.
The PUC-PR professor also highlights the need for society to look at the issue with more empathy, adapting traditions to promote the inclusion of these people in the festivities.
“Welcoming, understanding and realizing that there are people who suffer from certain traditions is as important as the experiences themselves”, points out Anderson Nitsche.
According to Nitsche, autism has a worldwide prevalence of around 3% of the population. Not all autistic people have sensory and auditory changes. For the expert, empathy is the keyword for the issue. “The inclusion process involves the idea of understanding that there are people who are different from us and that, often, my freedom violates the freedom of others and causes them unnecessary suffering”.
Elderly and children
The elderly are another group that suffers the impact of intense noise, especially those with dementia, as they have difficulty processing information. According to Vanessa, elderly people with dementia can experience delusions and hallucinations when faced with fireworks, also damaging their sleep, memory and reasoning for the next day.
Babies are also negatively affected as they have a need to sleep for longer periods than older children and adults.
“If the baby starts to be awakened by this noise or is unable to fall asleep, this causes harm. Because the fireworks start to be set off many hours before and the noise gradually increases until it reaches its peak, at midnight”, recalls Vanessa.
In these cases, the use of other sounds in the environment, such as white noise, or earmuffs, for older children, can minimize this impact.
Vanessa Rizelio criticizes that, although the sale of fireworks is prohibited in many Brazilian cities, there is no actual supervision.
“In Curitiba, for example, this law has been in force for more than five years and we continue to hear a lot of fireworks with intense noises being released during celebrations, especially during the New Year.” She advocates more rigor to “minimize the impact of human behavior that should have been changed a long time ago”, she says.
