Health and Fitness

Childhood Injuries Related to Inflatable Bouncers on the Rise


Elk Grove Village, IL–(ENEWSPF)–November 26, 2012. Use of inflatable bouncers, such as bounce houses and moonwalks, has increased in recent years, and so have injury rates. The study “Pediatric Inflatable Bouncer-Related Injuries in the United States, 1990-2010” in the December 2012 issue of Pediatrics (published online Nov.26) found that from 1990 to 2010, more than 64,000 children were treated in U.S. emergency departments for inflatable bouncer-related injuries. The authors also noted that from 2008 to 2010, the number of pediatric inflatable bouncer-related injuries more than doubled to an average of 31 children injured per day. Fractures and strains or sprains of the arms or legs were the most common types of injury, and falls were a common cause of injury, with stunts and collisions also contributing to the injury rate. The authors state that the study underscores the need for guidelines for safer bouncer usage and improvement in bouncer design to prevent injuries.

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 60,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit www.aap.org.

 Source: aap.org


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