Pediatricians warn families against trampolines

[Reader]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/24/us-pediatricians-trampoli-idUSBRE88N0HT20120924

(Reuters Health) - Kids should stay off trampolines at home and at the playground, U.S. pediatricians urged Monday, saying emergency departments across the country see nearly 100,000 injuries from the bouncy mats each year.

The new statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) updates recommendations from 1999, which caused manufacturers to add safety features to the products in an attempt to mitigate the risks.

However, these measures may "provide a false sense of security," according to the group.

"As best we can tell, the addition of safety nets and padding has actually not changed the injuries we have seen," said Dr. Susannah Briskin, a sports medicine specialist who helped draft the new statement.


More at link.....

 

[eileenhawkeye]

I wasn't allowed to go on a trampoline, except ones that had a safety net when I was a kid. I never did any flips, so I think that helped to prevent injuries, since it says that that you can still get injured with a net. But from the kids I knew, my parents were the only ones who felt that way. When I was older, I was allowed to go on, but by myself, and I had to stay in the center. It wasn't really a huge deal, because I had no desire to be on the trampoline when all my "big" cousins were going nuts on it. But going on the trampoline with the safety net at my neighbor's house was lots of fun.

 

[Nova]

I got a severe whiplash on a trampoline when I was 12. My niece broke her leg on one when she was 4. In neither case would extra padding or a safety net have made any difference.

I suppose a trampoline has its place, like any piece of gymnastics equipment. But I don't think children should be using one without very close supervision. (I was alone when I was injured. In my niece's case, her father was with her but clowning around.)

 

[QueenD]

My son had one purchased when he was around 6 or 7. He was never allowed on it unless I was there, untill he was older. He played on that thing till he started chasing after the girls. LOL

Never an injury. Mine only had the pads. I got money out of it.

 

[CarrieBean]

Wow, if I had known kids got hurt on trampolines I would have kept mine in a bubble.

Mine went on trampolines when they were young, but this was what caused the only injury that brought us to the hospital.

"He's the real talking, joke playing, best friend bear you can't help but love"

Did I mention head splitting? lol

[video=youtube;acViUv3UAcc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acViUv3UAcc[/video]

 

[Valleyboy]

Wonder how many of these injuries were because there was more
than 1 kid on the trampoline at the same time.

Next they will want to ban all toys that kids have ever got hurt on
bikes, skateboards,rollerblades and maybe even swimming.

 

[CarrieBean]

Wonder how many of these injuries were because there was more
than 1 kid on the trampoline at the same time.

Next they will want to ban all toys that kids have ever got hurt on
bikes, skateboards,rollerblades and maybe even swimming.

Or due to some parents using a trampoline as a back yard babysitter.

 

[angelmom]

I don't think this is just a case of wanting to put kids in bubble wrap. My pediatrician has warned me about trampolines for at least 10 years. She said that they see some horrific neck and spinal injuries come through the ER from them, and that even with the nets they are dangerous.

This study doesn't surprise me at all.

To put this in perspective, the same pediatrician has never warned me off my kids playing sports, riding bikes or skateboards (although she does remind us of helmet use), or any other normal kid thing that I can think of.

 

[marycarney]

Seen some ugly, ugly injuries from trampolines. And I'm not a 'bubble wrap' mom by any stretch - just a pediatric nurse.

I agree that the risk increases when more than one child is on it. All you have to do is watch an episode of America's funniest Home Videos to see what I mean.