Trampoline & Bounce House Dangers

For generations, trampolines have been giving children entertainment. Although bouncing in the backyard on a trampoline might be fun, it can also be very dangerous. Not using a trampoline correctly or falling off can result in serious neck and head injuries, like full or partial paralysis.

Due to the high risk of injury, the American Academy of Pediatrics advises that trampolines should not be used in a home setting or in outdoor playgrounds but only in a supervised training program such as gymnastics or diving. According to a report by CBS News, trampoline injuries result in nearly 100,000 emergency room visits each year. The majority of these visits (over 80%) are for children under the age of 15.

Here are a few trampoline safety tips:

• Always use safety nets
• Cover the trampoline’s springs and hooks with padding
• Place the trampoline on level ground
• Always supervise young children using the trampoline
• Allow only one person at a time to use the trampoline

Another popular but dangerous entertainment item is bounce houses. Lately, bounce houses have been acquiring unfavorable media attention due to an increase in injuries. According to a study published in December 2012 in an issue of Pediatrics, more than 30 children a day were treated in emergency rooms for bounce house related injuries in 2010.

The majority of bounce house injuries happen when children collide with each other. But injuries are also experienced as a result of a structure collapsing when there are too many children inside or the structure gets toppled over by wind. The most common injuries are head and neck injuries (19%), strains or sprains (27%), and fractures (28%).

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