Should Children Be Kept Off Trampolines [Poll]

While driving around the Tri-State on any given day, it is amazing how many back yards have trampolines. Some have the safety nets, that are usually required for insurance purposes, and some without nets at all. My boys had a trampoline in the back yard until just recently when a tear in the pad got bigger and bigger. The American Academy of Pediatrics said today that trampolines are too dangerous for children in light of more than 100,000 trampoline injuries reported in 2009.

The report also says that safety nets do very little to make trampolines any safer. Dr. Michele LaBotz, a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics executive council on sports medicine and fitness says, "Pediatricians need to actively discourage recreational trampoline use. This is not a toy. It's a piece of equipment. We recommend that you not provide it for family or your neighbors to use."

Trampoline use becomes particularly dangerous when multiple people are jumping at once and we have all seen how much higher little kids are propelled when jumping with bigger kids and adults. In fact, 75-percent of all trampoline injuries occur when multiple people are jumping and smaller children are 14 times more likely to be injured according to the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS).

Attempting to do a front or back flip on a trampoline can be the most dangerous especially, if you land wrong. Trampoline injuries are growing in numbers every year. Ultimately, the most important thing a parent can do is recognize the danger posed by trampolines and make decisions for their children according to that danger.

If you allow your children to use a trampoline, make sure you are completely aware of all of the safety precautions, but always be mindful of the fact that those safety measures do little to prevent minor to serious injuries. Click here to read more about trampoline safety and precautions.