Recently a 3 year old boy suffered from a major femur (thigh bone) fracture while jumping on a trampoline in an indoor trampoline park in US. His mother’s Facebook post sharing a picture of her son in a waist-down cast has gone viral and she wants to warn other parents.
Trampolines are a popular gear in toy shops. I remember looking for options once to buy one for my 7 year old nephew , but now I feel relieved that thanks to a hunch I decided against it.
Though trampolines may seem fun to jump on but they can cause serious injuries like broken bones, head injuries , cervical spine injuries,sprains, bruises and cuts .Many of these can cause permanent or temporary disability. These injuries can be due to wrong landing while jumping , flipping or trying stunts like somersaults. Most of the times the reason behind mishaps is having more than one person on the trampoline.
The American Academy Of Pediatrics categorically recommends
Don’t buy a trampoline for your home.
Opt for safer alternatives to keep children physically active.
The AAP recommends that mini and full-sized trampolines never be used at home, in routine gym classes, or on playgrounds. They should only be used in supervised training programs for gymnastics, diving, or other competitive sports. Only one person should be allowed on a trampoline at any given time.
If at all you chose to have a home trampoline (which I wonder why?) AAP recommends following safety precautions:
- Adult supervision at all times
- Only one jumper on the trampoline at a time
- No somersaults performed
- Adequate protective padding on the trampoline that is in good condition and appropriately placed
- Check all equipment often
- When damaged, protective padding, the net enclosure, and any other parts should be repaired or replaced
- Homeowners with a trampoline should verify that their insurance covers trampoline injury-related claims.
- Families need to know that many injuries occur on the mat itself, and current data do not appear to demonstrate that netting or padding significantly decrease the risk of injury.”
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons recommends that children younger than 6 should not use trampolines and older kids should use them only under adult supervision. The fragile bones of younger children may not withstand the pressure of repeated jumping or cause injuries due to poor balance.
The play areas with trampolines may be publicising them for your toddler but do not give in to fancy marketing and compromise on your child’s safety.
I know it gets a little annoying when every other day we see a new issue arising which makes us apprehensive about our kid’s safety but staying informed will only help us take better decisions. These articles are not intended to create panic but help mothers stay vigilant to invisible dangers around us.
Happy Parenting to all!
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Source :
Friday Night Column 
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