(PCM) If your child is begging for a trampoline in the backyard, you may want to take a closer look at the risks, warn doctors. Bouncing around on a trampoline may be a lot of fun – for kids and adults, alike – but the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) warn that the risks aren’t worth it. They can cause serious injury in children; in fact, there were nearly 100,000 injuries from trampolines in 2009!
The updated policy statement from the AAP published in the October edition of Pediatrics strongly discourages parents from letting their kids use a home trampoline, especially small children.
“Pediatricians need to actively discourage recreational trampoline use,” said Dr. Michele LaBotz, a lead author of the new AAP statement. “This is not a toy. It’s a piece of equipment. We recommend that you not provide it for your family or your neighbors to use. But if you do use one, you need to be aware of the risks.”
“I think parents see the soft springy mat and they think it’s safe, like water,” LaBotz said. “What they don’t realize is that once you get it to bouncing, especially if there are multiple users, it can be dangerous. Bigger kids and adults like to rocket propel up the little kids, getting them to bounce higher than they would otherwise and if the kid comes down wrong, it is the same as falling 9 or 10 feet onto a hard surface.”
The statement reports that:
-In 2009 there were 97,908 trampoline injuries that resulted in 3,100 hospitalizations.
-Smaller children were 14 times more likely to get hurt than bigger children.
-Head and/or neck injuries accounted for up to 17% of all trampoline injuries and can cause the most damage; permanent neurologic damage occurs in 1 out of every 200 trampoline-related injuries.
-About 75% of trampoline injuries occur when multiple people are jumping on the mat.
-Forty-eight percent of injuries among children age 5 and younger were fractures and dislocations.
-Twenty percent of trampoline injuries were caused by hitting the frame or the springs. Researchers say trampoline pads deteriorate quickly, putting children at risk of hurting themselves on the frames and springs.
-Netting around the trampoline did not protect kids from injury.
Bottom line: Trampolines are fun, but risky. If you already have a trampoline in the backyard, or should you decide to get one, make sure to follow all the safety rules. Be cautious and alert. Never let more than one child on the trampoline at a time and always supervise activity!
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