Trampolines may be hazardous to your child’s health, pediatricians warn.
The American Academy of Pediatrics reaffirms its earlier cautions about
home trampoline use in a new report, published online Sept. 24 in the journal Pediatrics.
“The very forces that make trampoline use fun for many children also
lead to unique injury mechanisms and patterns of injury,” wrote the report
authors. “Pediatricians should only endorse use of trampolines as part of a
structured training program with appropriate coaching supervision and safety
measures in place.” Rates of trampoline-related injuries have decreased since
2004, but accidents still happen and many have serious consequences, they
added.
Almost 98,000 trampoline-related injuries occurred in the United States
in 2009, which resulted in 3,100 hospitalizations, according to the National
Electronic Injury Surveillance System. Children appear to be injured more often
than older jumpers. Fractures and dislocation accounted for nearly half the
injuries treated in kids aged 5 and younger, according to the academy, a
professional association of pediatricians.
Common injuries in all age groups include sprains, strains and bruises.
Falling off the trampoline — which accounts for up to 39 percent of all
injuries — often has serious consequences. Likewise, doing somersaults and
flips can lead to permanent head and spinal injury, the authors warned. According
to the new article, three-quarters of trampoline-related injuries take place
when more than one person is on the mat, and many accidents occur when an adult
is watching.
The same cautions recommended for home trampoline use apply to
trampolines in jump parks, the authors added.
The academy’s first statement on trampolines was issued in 1999 and
updated in 2006.
Trade groups and manufacturers have made efforts to improve the safety
of trampolines in recent years, adding heavier padding and stricter warnings
about appropriate use, for example. But the report says research on netting and
other safety features hasn’t shown a lowering of injury rates, and experts say
home trampolines are still unsafe.
“Although injury rates in children associated with trampoline use have
been declining since 2004, the chance of sustaining a severe injury still
remains exceedingly high, even with adult supervision,” said Dr. Robert
Glatter, an emergency medicine physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York
City. “The use of padding with trampolines do not, in reality, safeguard
against the high number of injuries on the mat, and may lead to a false sense
of added protection.”
Glatter said pediatricians should continue to discourage recreational
trampoline use among children and teenagers. “But for those families of
children who continue to engage in trampoline use, it is recommended that only
a single jumper be present on the mat at any particular time,” he said. He also
advised against allowing flips and somersaults in a recreational environment.
Dr. Jose Rosa-Olivares, medical director of the Pediatric Care Center in
Miami Children’s Hospital, said he routinely counsels parents on how to avoid
sports and recreational injuries, and this includes limiting trampoline use. “We
discourage the home and recreational use of trampolines and remind parents of
the serious risks associated with their use,” Rosa-Olivares said.
health.com
Please share
No comments:
Post a Comment