News

 Aug. 14, 2009

 

Trampolines: A serious cause of childhood injuries

If you ask kids which superpower they'd like to try, flying is usually high on the list. So it's no wonder they flock to neighborhood trampolines.

What they don't realize is that each year trampolines are major factors in a rash of childhood injuries, like broken bones, concussions and chipped teeth.

Safe Kids Kootenai County recommends trampolines be used only as part of a supervised athletic training program such as competitive gymnastics, and not at home, at school or on playgrounds. In addition, it cautions parents that children under the age of 6 should never use full-size trampolines.

"While most trampoline injuries are muscle injuries or broken legs, we also see serious head and neck injuries," says Sarah Nielsen, who coordinates Safe Kids Kootenai County. "A concussion or an upper spine injury can be devastating to a child."

Nielsen also pointed out: "As you add more jumpers on a trampoline, the risk of injury to participants increases. Even trampoline manufacturers say there shouldn't be more than one person on the trampoline at a time."

For more information on keeping kids safe or to schedule an appointment with a playground safety expert, call Sarah Nielsen at (208) 666-2511.

Kootenai Health is the lead agency for Safe Kids Kootenai County. Additional members include: the Panhandle Health District, North Idaho College Head Start, Kootenai County Fire & Rescue, the Post Falls School District and U.S. Department of Health and Welfare. Together they are working to prevent unintentional childhood injury, the leading cause of death and disability to children ages 1 to 14.

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