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The popularity of trampoline parks is growing by leaps and bounds - along with injuries among their visitors, particularly young children.

Less than a decade ago, there were only three trampoline parks in the nation. Now there are roughly 800. While thousands of customers walk away from their visits unharmed, warnings about the largely unregulated industry are mounting.

Chelsea Zeolla, 12, was bouncing and doing flips at Flight Trampoline Park in Connecticut when she landed on her arm and broke it. She now bears a scar where doctors inserted a pin to help set her arm.

The facility's owner, Ralph Park, admits that the centers can be dangerous.

"You can break a bone. You can have a compound fracture," he said.

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Park owns 11 trampoline parks. Visitors at each one are required to watch a safety video and sign a waiver before they take their first leap.

"Of course, we don't want to see any injury," he said. "We want to find out why that injury happened and again, we want to try to prevent injuries from happening."

Only nine states have regulations dealing with trampoline parks. Kids aren't the only ones getting hurt at the facilities.

In 2012, former Yankee pitcher Joba Chamberlain visited a trampoline center with his son - and ended up breaking his ankle so severely that he suffered severe from extreme blood loss.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the number of emergency room visits from trampoline park incidents have soared, from 581 in 2010, to 6,932 just four years later.

Attorney David Chazen represents six clients who he says were injured at a Sky Zone Trampoline Park. The youngest is 4-year-old Jeremiah Lang, who broke his leg when an older child bounced on top of him.

"Sky Zone has a policy that anybody who can walk can go on their trampolines," he said.

In a statement to NBC News, Sky Zone asserted that "the safety of our guests is our top priority."

"As with any physical activity or sport, there are inherent risks. We take several measures to reduce these risks and educate our guests about safety in our parks," the company said in its statement.

Chazen said injuries at trampoline parks can be devastating to children, and their parents.

"The parents feel tremendous guilt, because when they look at this in hindsight and they regret having allowed their children to go to Sky Zone," he said.

The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons recommends that trampolines not be used by children under six. The American Academy of Pediatrics, however, advises against trampolines for all children.

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How safe are trampoline parks? As their popularity soars, so do injuries

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The popularity of trampoline parks is growing by leaps and bounds - along with injuries among their visitors, particularly young children. Less than a decade ago, there were only three trampoline parks in the nation. Now there are roughly 800. While thousands of customers walk away from their visits unharmed, warnings about the largely unregulated industry are mounting.

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Trampolines: A safe, fun activity for your kids? Quite the opposite, doctors say.

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Trampolines: A safe, fun activity for your kids? Quite the opposite, doctors say.

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A recent injury suffered by a 3-year-old Florida boy while jumping at a trampoline park has sparked national attention on social media and raised questions about the safety of a common, seemingly harmless children's activity.

On Tuesday, Kaitlin Hill shared in a Facebook post that her son broke his femur while bouncing on a trampoline at an indoor park in Tampa. "Every day is a struggle for his sweet 3 year old self as he adjusts to life in a hip spica cast for the next 6 weeks," she wrote.

In her post, which has been shared more than 260,000 times as of Wednesday afternoon, she said there are parks that promote the use of trampolines for toddlers, despite recommendations by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons not to allow children under the age of 6 to use them.

The American Academy of Pediatrics goes even further, advising against trampoline use for all children, saying that enclosures and padding may not prevent all injuries and can provide a false sense of security. However, if parents do allow children to use them, the group recommends constant adult supervision, avoiding somersaults and flips and restricting use to a single jumper at a time.

Young children are especially susceptible to trampoline injuries, according to Armin Tehrany, an orthopedic surgeon and founder of Manhattan Orthopedic Care.

"Their bones are still growing," he said. Tehrany cautions parents that a soft surface doesn't ensure safety because the mechanism of jumping on a trampoline - jumping to progressively higher heights and landing - puts a lot of stress on developing bones.

"The pressure they put themselves under puts them at high risk for fracture and other injuries," he said.

As trampoline parks grow in popularity, so do trampoline park-related injuries: Emergency room visits for trampoline park-related injuries shot up from 581 in 2010 to 6,932 in 2014, according to aPediatrics study released last year. That's more than a ten-fold increase.

Tehrany said he would like to see trampoline parks put up medical recommendations and safety guidelines so parents can make more informed decisions.

"It seems to the parents that it is perfectly safe, but it's not," he said.

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Trampolines: A safe, fun activity for your kids? Just the opposite, doctors say

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The recent injury of a young boy while jumping at a trampoline park has caught national attention and raised questions about the safety of a common, seemingly harmless children's activity.

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I Know the Risks of Trampolines: Here's Why I Bought One Anyway

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I Know the Risks of Trampolines: Here's Why I Bought One Anyway

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Some of my best memories from childhood involve a giant rectangular death trap in my backyard: my trampoline. I vividly remember the Christmas Santa dropped that sucker in our backyard, and my childhood was never the same.

We played crack the egg and begged my dad to double bounce us - and my dad is a big guy. We had no pads covering the springs, and certainly no net. And there were times when we dangerously flew off the trampoline, landing near concrete and fences in my backyard.

No parents sued us. No waivers were signed. No bones were broken. But we all survived to tell the tale.

Our trampoline was even complete with its rusty metal springs that luckily never gave any of us tetanus, but certainly kept us on high alert so that our tender legs didn't accidentally slip through (they so did) and sustain injury (luckily not too much).

For the past couple of years, we've been debating getting a trampoline because we know the risks. Just about everyone I know has a horror story from a trampoline incident. I have neighbors whose kids have broken their legs and relatives who broke elbows, but my husband and I went for it this year and got our kids a trampoline for Christmas. It was my idea, but I got my husband - the medical professional - to say yes anyway.

Trampolines are a risk for sure, but they are also just about a million times safer now than when I was a kid. I almost laugh at how dangerous they really were when I was growing up, and how ridiculously safe they are today comparatively.

But the American Academy of Pediatrics actually says that parents shouldn't own a trampoline at all. Yikes. According to their report, 98,000 injuries happen because of trampolines every year. But here's the thing: They also report that 50,000 kids go to the ER because of skateboards and scooter injuries every year. My kids have those too.

And according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, in 2013 they reported that approximately 192,000 kids went to the ER for bicycle accidents. Should I take away the bicycles too? No, that would be just bonkers.

I know trampolines aren't "safe," but they are definitely safer than when I was a kid, and despite the risks, here's why we still went for it.

The Memories

This is the number one reason for me. I had hours of fun on that trampoline with neighbors and friends. We played, and jumped, and sometimes peed our pants from laughing so hard as we injured ourselves on rusty coils. We took catnaps in the sun and had gossip sessions about boys we liked. There were attempted sleepovers that usually ended with us sneaking in late at night, and I learned how to do my own little gymnastics routines out there. Sprinklers set up underneath during the summer months turned it into a slip 'n' slide, and it provided hours of endless free entertainment.

My Kids Aren't Staring at a Screen

Parents today are constantly battling screen time, and a trampoline is something that gets my kids outside and off the screens. It also attracts friends to come play in the neighborhood.

It's Exercise

Kids need exercise like they need water to drink and air to breathe, and a trampoline is a fun way to get physical exercise without my kids even realizing they are exercising.

We set up rules for jumping on our trampoline to help make it even safer. Our rules are pretty simple: We limit how many kids can be on at a time, and I also make sure that I'm watching while they jump. We make sure parents in our neighborhood give their permission before kids jump, because lawsuits and stuff. And with a net, pads, and mom watching, yes, accidents can still happen, but we could also lock them inside and not let them ride bikes either.

I worry so much as a parent, but the truth is, you can't live your life in fear. If parenting has taught me anything, this is it. And you certainly can't put those fears on your kids. Yes, our risks are greater by owning a trampoline, but our kids are having the time of their lives jumping on it, and I just don't see the harm in that, especially when there are numerous activities our kids could get injured from every day.

The ironic thing is, just two months after buying our kids a trampoline, my daughter broke her arm. And guess what? It was on a trampoline. The ironic part, though, is that it was at gymnastics, not in our own backyard.

So my point is this: You can't wrap your kids in bubble wrap. Although there are times that I'd really, really, like to consider how this could be done because I love my kids fiercely and have a 5-year-old who has no fear. But the memories they are going to have on that giant "death trap" in my backyard, are worth every penny. And possibly even a broken bone.

This article was originally published on

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I Know The Risks Of Trampolines. Here's Why We Got One Anyway.

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Some of my best memories from childhood involve a giant rectangular death trap in my backyard: my trampoline. I vividly remember the Christmas Santa dropped that sucker in our backyard, and my childhood was never the same. We played crack the egg and begged my dad to double bounce us - and my dad is a big guy.

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Are the kids bouncing off the walls? Take them to the kind of trampoline park NYC children flip for-and let the wild rumpus begin!

Trampoline parks and bounce houses are great indoor activities for kids full of energy. We firmly believe that the best family attractions don't always require shoes.
RECOMMENDED: Full guide to indoor activities for kids in NYC
From extreme dodgeball, to high-flying basketball, to simple bounce-bounce-bouncing, trampoline parks are perfect for birthday parties for kids. More and more trampoline parks are opening close to NYC, and these year-round venues are perfect for the colder months and rainy days.

Be sure to mark your calendar for July, 2020, when Big Bounce America will set up the largest bounce house in the world in NYC. This is going to be the bounciest year yet!

Trampoline park spots near NYC

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Find a trampoline park NYC kids will love

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Are the kids bouncing off the walls? Take them to the kind of trampoline park NYC children flip for-and let the wild rumpus begin! Trampoline parks and bounce houses are great indoor activities for kids full of energy. We firmly believe that the best family attractions don't always require shoes.

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Get fit and add some spring to your life! Kidzworld checks out the big bounces and high-flying flips from the world of trampoline. Check out this look at trampoline exercises and tricks for girls and kids.

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By Jacinda David, Owner, Just Bounce Trampoline
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Stephen and Jacinda have been working as a successful duo since Just Bounce Trampoline Club opened its doors in 2004. They love to share the adventure that is trampoline with recreational and competitive athletes alike. They have coached several athletes to National Championship titles and International medals at Pan American Championships and World Age Group Championships in both Double Mini Trampoline and Individual Trampoline.

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17 Benefits of Trampoline Exercise - Just Bounce Trampoline Club

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Trampoline exercise helps to facilitate the body's natural detoxification mechanism. Rebounding is a unique form of exercise.

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Are trampoline parks safe? In Texas, jump at your own risk

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Should I Buy a Trampoline? 12 Pros and Cons

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Should I Buy a Trampoline? 12 Pros and Cons

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Should I Buy A Trampoline? 12 Pros and Cons of Trampolines

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So your child wants a trampoline. Learn the pros and cons before making a decision on whether trampoline ownership is for you and your family or not.

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Extreme Air: Trampoline Park (Commercial)

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This Backyard Toy Could Cause Brain Problems

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This Backyard Toy Could Cause Brain Problems

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Medical experts are urging parents to keep an eye on their children as the number of nasty head injuries and broken bones caused by trampolines is on the rise.

Experts say trampolines are a popular Christmas gift for children, but could be dangerous if they were not used properly.

Statistics by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission revealed about eight kids are hospitalised each day by trampoline injuries in Australia.

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Melbourne's Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) director of trauma Warwick Teague said the hospital was admitting children with serious injuries caused by trampolines that no family or child should ever be subjected to.

"Trampolines are perfectly safe if used appropriately, but can be very dangerous without proper supervision and when multiple children are bouncing on them at once," Dr Teague said.

Senior doctors at the hospital were so concerned by the incidents they started a research project, in conjunction with Melbourne University, in September to study the injuries to help form injury prevention advice.

Dr Teague said the project would examine cases from home trampolines as well as trampoline play centres to see if they were contributing to the increase in severe trampoline injuries.

He said the anecdotal evidence suggested many children were being injured when multiple kids were jumping on a trampoline at the same time.

"If you have multiple users on the trampoline, I would liken it to cage fighting," Dr Teague said.

A decade ago, the hospital would admit about 30 children a year with serious trampoline injuries.

Last year that figure jumped to about 85 trampoline-related admissions, and Dr Teague said this year the hospital was on track to receive about 90.

Earlier in 2015, Sydney Children's Hospital at Randwick issued a warning about a significant rise in the number of children admitted with preventable trampoline-related injuries following the opening of several indoor trampoline centres.

Parents warn others after 'stupid negligence'

In August, six-year-old Melbourne boy Edgar became one of the RCH's latest patients after he fell out of a trampoline with an unzipped safety net.

His mother Kim said he toppled out headfirst onto bluestone bricks with nothing to break his fall.

"I heard a wail that went straight to my marrow and I knew there had been an accident," she said.

After watching her son for several hours, she put him to bed.

"I thought we were out of the woods but he vomited shortly afterwards and started vomiting quite intensively two hours later," she said.
* Click the owl for a backyard trampoline safety checklist:
Edgar was taken to the RCH, where Kim said the doctors were concerned Edgar had fractured his skull and might have internal bleeding.

A CAT scan came back clear but revealed Edgar had suffered a brain trauma.

"This was not caused by the head hitting the pavement but by the brain hitting the skull," Kim said.

Edgar is now being monitored by the Concussion Clinic at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute that is examining the long-term repercussions of concussion in children.

Three weeks later, the six-year-old remains a little uncoordinated, occasionally muddled in his thinking and has not passed several balance tests.

But he is back at school and Kim said she felt "incredibly fortunate that this stupid accident, entirely a result of our parental negligence, didn't result in anything worse".

"It's only after this sort of thing happens that one hears everyone else's horror stories and as we have had up to five children on our trampoline, a risk we would never have considered on the old spring type I grew up on in the 1970s."

- with ABC

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This backyard toy could cause serious brain trauma | The New Daily

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Medical experts are urging parents to keep an eye on their children as the number of nasty head injuries and broken bones caused by trampolines is on the rise. Experts say trampolines are a popular Christmas gift for children, but could be dangerous if they were not used properly.

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Trampoline Safety: Are trampolines safe?

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Trampoline Safety: Are trampolines safe?

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Trampoline safety is very important.

Vuly Play are exemplars of trampoline safety. We pride ourselves on our safe trampoline models, ensuring every bounce is the safest it can be.

Despite this, injuries can still occur, especially if proper safety guidelines are ignored.

According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), a survey conducted by Kidsafe WA on their behalf identified a range of unsafe practices that could put children at risk.

Such was the concern, the ACCC teamed up with Vuly Play Hero and Olympic trampolinist Blake Gaudry to spread awareness.

The study also highlighted a large discrepancy between the safety guidelines and the actual usage of trampolines.

This means that trampolines aren't necessarily unsafe - especially with the advanced safety considerations of modern trampolines - but users should be aware of the risks involved while trampolining.
So are trampolines safe?
Yes, trampolines are safe - when following Vuly's top tips for an injury-free trampolining experience for you and your family.

Trampoline Safety Guidelines

Trampoline for kids are highly beneficial, but care should be taken to avoid unfortunate injuries.

Usually, accidents are a result of jumpers' negligence, poor judgment, or disregard for safety rules.

Vuly strives to educate users on the common safety mistakes that users make.

By adhering to the simple safety measures below, you can prevent most injuries before they happen.

One Jumper at a Time

Vuly recommends that there should be no more than one person on a trampoline at any time.

Multiple jumpers increase chances of injury while bouncing, as they are unable to judge the dynamics of the jumping motion, putting all users at an increased risk of injury.

Additional users also introduce unknown variables in the rebounding motion and can lead to unintentional falls.

Every movement made by additional user sends forces through the jump-mat. These forces upset the rhythm and the balance of other people jumping.

These back-and-forth exchanges of energies through the mat can range from subtle disruptions to larger uncontrollable disturbances.

This can lead to someone falling down awkwardly or into the other person bouncing.

One trampoline user falling on another is a leading cause of broken bones in trampoline injuries

Because of these points, children should take turns wherever possible.

Safe Trampoline Location

Every trampoline owner should be using their trampoline in a safe environment.

You should ensure the area around your trampoline (ideally 1m-2m wide on all sides) is free from any hazards, such as walls, play equipment or garden furniture.

There is also a minimum clearance of 8m overhead from the ground level to avoid objects like clotheslines, trees and wires.

It's ideal that the clearance area around your trampoline is thickly layered with soft, impact-absorbing material, e.g. pine bark, wood-chips or sand.

This should be regularly racked to reduce compacting.

Supervision can usually prevent most trampoline injuries that are caused by risky behaviour.

Children and inexperienced jumpers should always be supervised.

Remember, younger kids are more likely to use poor judgment and put themselves in danger when they are not under the supervised direction of a responsible adult.

It's also a good idea to encourage older children to take responsibility for the younger ones, and to consistently enforce 'safe bouncing' rules.

Trampoline Safety - Best Practices

When using a Vuly trampoline, it's very important the following best practices are adhered to avoid injury.

Do not allow any individuals beneath the trampoline at any time.

Individuals who do not observe this rule risk receiving head injuries from the person jumping above.

Additionally, individuals who are under the trampoline can also get their fingers, skin, or hair caught in the springs.

As our trampolines feature a doorway in the safety netting, many users become confused as to the proper way to dismount.

Many users make the mistake of crawling through the door head-first.

However, dismounting this way requires the user to rotate their body as they exit so their feet can be firmly placed on the ground.

Hands, feet, or other body parts can cause the user to get caught in the net and fall to the ground head-first.

The easier, safer way to dismount our safety netted trampoline is to move to the door, sit down, and then slide out feet-first.

This movement makes certain that feet are the first thing that contacts with the ground and eliminates the risk of becoming entangled in the net.

If accessing the trampoline proves to be challenging, we recommend purchasing a trampoline ladder.

Some families use concrete blocks, bricks, or cardboard boxes to make mounting the trampoline easier.

However, these materials can easily shift, making the structure unstable.

Our ladders feature two extra-wide no-slip steps to assist users trying to access the trampoline.

They hook sturdily to the trampoline underneath the safety padding, eliminating the risk of shifting.

There's a reason that gymnasts train for years before they attempt advanced tricks!

Not only do they require developed strength and flexibility, but they can also result in serious injury if not done correctly.

Somersaults or flips require proper training before being performed. Younger or inexperienced users are better off sticking with simple bouncing.

Trampolining is a great way to sculpt the legs, arms, and torso.

As it's such a fun exercise method, some bouncers may not realise how long they have been working out.

Trampoliners should always be aware of muscle fatigue or failure.

Jumping on a trampoline requires short bursts of energy and strength to rebound into the air.

As a result, many users may be deceived into thinking that they have much more strength and stamina than they possess.

Fatigued legs may not feel weak until the user tries to resume normal activity, like climbing down the trampoline ladder or walking.

Trampoline enthusiasts need to exercise caution when walking, climbing stairs, approaching slopes, or dismounting the trampoline to avoid tripping or collapsing.

Muscle weakness generally dissipates quickly, but inexperienced jumpers may feel lingering aches and fatigue in the muscles for a few days after the jumping session.

Over time, muscles will become less prone to fatigue and the jumper can use the trampoline for longer periods of time without noticeable muscle weakness.

Consistent trampoline exercise has been linked:

Toned muscles

Improved cardio-respiratory performance

Increased muscular stamina

Lower cholesterol and weight loss

Lower blood pressure

Improved ocular-motor skills

Increased flexibility

Greater balance and spatial awareness

Tips For First Time Trampolinists

Some kids take to trampolines the instant they experience their first bounce, while others take a little bit of encouraging.

Here are a range of tips to help those exploring trampoline bouncing for the first time.

Finding Balance

Trampolines can be disorientating for some kids who have never stood on one before.

For this reason, start by helping them bounce on the spot by using their ankles to go up and down, but without their feet leaving the mat.

Next, let them get used to the trampoline springiness, and to the shifts in gravity while bouncing.

This can be achieved with a 'stop bounce', the first skill that anyone who uses a trampoline should learn.

The 'stop bounce' will allow you to regain control by quickly stopping your movement.

Practice it by stopping your bouncing with the act of bending your knees and hips when you land on the mat.

Continue by keeping your feet on the mat, absorbing the rebound of the trampoline through your knees and waist.

Keeping Eyes on the Edge

Pick a point on the side of the trampoline, and place a fluorescent sticker there.

Have the trampoliner focus their gaze on the side of the trampoline, where the stick is located.

Focusing on a point helps the user feel more steady and in control.

This is ideal when performing consistent and repeated exercises, and it's easy for kids to understand.

Your body likes to have a point of reference - give it one!

Practice Your Arm Movements

When the trampoliner is confident enough in their balance and control, they should practice their finer body movements.

Arms are key to maintaining control while bouncing. Whenever the jumper is in the air, their arms should be too.

Arms should be raised during each bounce - to about shoulder height and width.

This position should be kept until the jumper starts falling, before they lower their arms slightly behind the hips.

The jumper then re-lifts their arms as they start the bouncing motion again.

People often think that trampolining is all about the legs, when really it's your arms that do most of the work to stabilise you.

Checking Trampoline Assembly and Components

While Vuly trampolines are some of the easiest trampolines to assemble on the market, there's always potential for error when putting together products containing individual parts.

Bouncing on an improperly assembled trampoline not only reduces its life, but also represents a safety hazard to those using it.

Here are some of the more common assembly issues we see at Vuly.

Every correctly installed Vuly trampoline has an 'hourglass' enclosure.

This means that its net poles curve outwards while its netting curves inwards.

While you may have the urge to insert the net poles in a way that makes them 'straighter' - like a typical trampoline design - this is incorrect for a Vuly.

On all trampolines except Thunder Pro, this means that the net poles should bend away from the net at the top and curve back inwards at the jump mat - like an 'S'.

Thunder Pro net poles should have a totally convex appearance, with the peak of the curve away from the net being in the centre of the net poles - like a ')'.

If you're still unsure whether your net poles are inserted correctly based on appearance, the easiest ways to check are:

Ensure that each installed net pole has small holes punched at the top (excluding Ultra) and middle of the Upper Net Pole and at the connection between the Upper and Lower Net Pole.

Ensure that each Lower Net Pole is correctly inserted into the Joiner - with the reinforcing inside the tube at this end.

Joiner Poles

The feet on every Vuly trampoline face outwards (except Ultra, which has leg tubes - rather than feet - which bend inwards).

Installing your trampoline in such a way that the feet face inwards will flip your Joiner Poles that connect the entire frame and net together.

This reduces the integrity of the finished trampoline, may cause a distorted appearance or lead to other parts failing to connect correctly.

Always make sure that the small feet at the end of each frame leg faces towards you.

Thunder Bolts

Thunder is the only Vuly trampoline that requires bolts during installation.

Your assembly manual details how to use these bolts - rather than push-buttons - at the Joiner Poles, to strengthen your Thunder's base.

While it is possible to assemble your Thunder without these bolts, we strongly discourage it.

If you have a Thunder, check that you have used the bolts that came with your packaging at the Joiner Poles, as directed.

While you're inspecting your Thunder, make sure that your slimline net pole pads are positioned at the bottom of the net poles!

Checking Trampoline Components

Trampoline owners should regularly check the condition their trampoline.

Some of the key components to check:

The jump-mat and safety net does not have any rips or holes

The springs are intact and securely attached at both ends

The frame is not bent

The leg braces are securely locked

Remove dust and dirt from the trampoline regularly as it can damage the materials in the padding and safety net.

By running a moist rag over the safety pads, netting, and other perishable parts of the trampoline, the lifespan of the materials dramatically increases.

It's also a smart idea to refresh your trampoline with spare parts, ensuring it stays in tip-top condition.

Trampoline and Pets

Our pets are often considered to be a part of the family.

But, even though your dog or cat goes everywhere you do a, trampolines aren't a great place for them to be.

Pets claws and teeth can damage both the safety net and jump-mat material that could lead to injury.

Worse, dogs and cats may wander underneath the jump-mat while the trampoline is in use.

Sadly, there have been cases that have seen a distracted pet become injured by a person jumping above.

Don't let this happen to your pet by keeping a close eye on them when someone is using your trampoline.

Teach pets that the trampoline area is off-limits to them.

If necessary, leave them in a contained area (house, kennel, etc) while the trampoline is in use.

You can also Invest in a Vuly trampoline skirt to prevent pets from going underneath the trampoline and stop them from climbing up the net poles.

Sun Safety

We all want our kids to get outdoors and play in the sunshine, but in the summer months we have to be extra wary to make sure kids stay safe under the sun.

UV rays can be nasty, particularly in Australia, and especially in the middle of the day.

This is why it's important to be 'SunSmart'.

Being sun smart is all about making the right choices around your activities while being outdoors.

This includes wearing a hat, putting on sunscreen, going out at times when the sun is not at its peak and drinking plenty of water.

When it comes to children, we need to cover these points to make sure they stay sun safe while trampolining.

Sun Dangers

While you can never go wrong with the classic Australian 'Slip, Slop, Slap' rules, there are several things to keep an eye on during our hottest periods.

One of the most common reasons to stay sun smart is to ward off the dreaded pain of sunburn.

You don't just have to be sunbaking on the beach to get burnt. It can happen anywhere!

As long as the skin is exposed to UV light, there's a chance that it could get burnt.

Sunburn is easy to spot. The skin will start turning red, it becomes warm to touch and sometimes it'll peel too.

Use an aloe vera lotion to soothe the burn and quicken the recovery.

To keep sunburn at bay, make sure that your kids wear hats and sunscreens, if they'll be playing outdoors - particularly in summer.

Remember: SPF 30+ is always the best choice.

Dehydration

Dehydration occurs when a person doesn't have enough fluids in their body.

In kids, this can happen much more easily than adults - when they've been running around in the sun, sweating and not drinking enough water.

Make sure that your children are drinking plenty of water when playing outside.

The hotter it is, the more they will need to drink, so the body is well hydrated.

Some common symptoms to look out for include:

Thirst

Dry mouth, lips and tongue

Headaches

Dizziness or light-headedness

Heat Stroke

Heat stroke is caused by your body overheating and can be a risk for any child playing outside in the heat for too long.

To prevent this, make sure children are taking rest breaks in the shade regularly throughout the day.

The higher the temperature, the more regularly they should seek out cover to ward off heat stroke.

Common heat stroke symptoms include:

High body temperature

Confusion, agitation or irritability

Hot skin that's dry to touch

Flushed skin

Nausea and vomiting

Rapid breathing

Racing heart rate

Sources

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission - www.accc.gov.au

Kids Safe WA - www.kidsafewa.com.au

SunSmart - www.sunsmart.com.au

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Trampoline Safety - Are Trampolines Safe?

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Trampoline safety is very important. Vuly Play are exemplars of trampoline safety. We pride ourselves on our safe trampoline models, ensuring every bounce is the safest it can be. Despite this, injuries can still occur, especially if proper safety guidelines are ignored.

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The Impossible-to-Believe New Reasons Doctors Say There is No "Safe Age" for Kids to Jump on Trampolines

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The Impossible-to-Believe New Reasons Doctors Say There is No "Safe Age" for Kids to Jump on Trampolines

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It's certainly not news that trampolines are dangerous. The much-maligned springboard device has been the cause of devastating injuries - broken bones after falling or even paralysis after flips have gone wrong. In fact, just this month, a 13-year-old girl landed on her neck while doing unsupervised flips on a trampoline and suffered paralysis from the chest down.

But many parents might be surprised to discover that it's not just the freak accident - doing a backflip and landing on the neck at just the wrong spot - that they have to worry about. For young children, it's the simple act of jumping up and down that can lead to broken bones . . . or worse.

Case in point: 2-year-old Cooper Clark, whose mom took him to "Toddler Time" at a local trampoline park in Indiana back in 2016. The boy left with a fractured femur and a body cast.

"He was just jumping, then he came down and started screaming," Carrie Clark told WTHR News. "I was right there with him, supervising the whole time. He was just jumping with no other kids around. And he's 2. How can jumping just a few inches on a trampoline end up with a broken leg?"

The reason, according to orthopedic surgeon Dr. Randall Loder, is that pediatric bones are softer and more compressible than adult bones, and because they are still actively growing, the healing process is much more complicated.

"I was right there with him, supervising the whole time. He was just jumping with no other kids around. And he's 2. How can jumping just a few inches on a trampoline end up with a broken leg?"

"Pediatric bone can fail relatively easily - if the forces are just right, it can snap," he said. "Some of the fractures can really be quite problematic. People think that a fracture in a child is a simple thing just to put a cast on, but that's not necessarily true. I don't think the public really understands the magnitude of the severity of some of these injuries that can happen."

And these injuries aren't infrequent. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, in 2014, more than 24,000 children ages 2 to 5 suffered trampoline injuries serious enough to land them in the ER, and more than 40 percent of those incidents resulted in broken bones.

For perspective, emergency room doctors treated seven times more children suffering trampoline-related bone breaks than fractures caused by playing soccer.

Because the smallest jumpers can often suffer the biggest injuries, Loder - along with the American Academy of Pediatrics - has determined that no child should ever be on a trampoline.

"I just don't think there's any safe age for a child to be on a trampoline . . . period," he said.

For those parents unhappy with that recommendation, there's one loophole - gymnastics.

Unlike backyard trampolines and those at recreation-based trampoline parks, those at structured gymnastics programs - when used in conjunction with a trained coach who teaches how to safely use the equipment - are more acceptable.

Still, the AAP notes that children 5 years and younger appear to be at increased risk of fractures and dislocations. Thus, it might be wise for parents of toddlers to consider Loder's warning carefully: "We all want our kids to be active. We all want them to be healthy. But there's lots of other things to do besides trampolines."

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The Impossible-to-Believe New Reason Doctors Say There's No "Safe Age" For Kids to Jump on Trampolines

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
It's certainly not news that trampolines are dangerous. The much-maligned springboard device has been the cause of devastating injuries - broken bones after falling or even paralysis after flips have gone wrong. In fact, just this month, a 13-year-old girl landed on her neck while doing unsupervised flips on a trampoline and suffered paralysis from the chest down.

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This Backyard Toy Could Cause Brain Problems