To get a Trampoline or not too (wife, appropriate, activities)
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To me a scratch is good as it reminds us of our limits.
A broken arm is very serious but still I think that the outcome should be how do we do this activity safely rather than not doing it at all. (Unless it is a really dangerous activity)
I think too often these days parents are so fearful of injury that kids do not get to do exciting and I agree dangerous things.
A trampoline with the high net enclosures isn't all that dangerous, no more dangerous than falling out of trees, getting hit riding a bike -- you can do things to make it safer even with enclosures -- big kids with big kids, little kids with little kids so the big ones don't land on little ones. They're safer than swimming pools -- but you do have to be careful about neighbor kids trying to use it unsupervised.
That just isn't true....
Trampolines are dangerous and to assume otherwise is ignoring substantial evidence to the contrary.
Also, one of the first rules of trampoline "safety" if you are going to use one anyway is not to have more than one kid at a time on the trampoline. So segregating big kids with big kids etc isn't really helping anything.
"American Academy of Pediatrics' reaffirmation of its recommendation that trampolines should never be used in the home environment, in routine physical education classes, or in outdoor playgrounds"
"One study revealed more than 6500 pediatric cervical spine injuries related to trampoline use in the US.1 In 1999, continued safety concerns led the AAP to reaffirm their recommendation that trampolines not be used in the home, in routine physical education classes, or on the playground.2 "
Trampolines are dangerous and to assume otherwise is ignoring substantial evidence to the contrary.
Also, one of the first rules of trampoline "safety" if you are going to use one anyway is not to have more than one kid at a time on the trampoline. So segregating big kids with big kids etc isn't really helping anything.
"American Academy of Pediatrics' reaffirmation of its recommendation that trampolines should never be used in the home environment, in routine physical education classes, or in outdoor playgrounds"
"One study revealed more than 6500 pediatric cervical spine injuries related to trampoline use in the US.1 In 1999, continued safety concerns led the AAP to reaffirm their recommendation that trampolines not be used in the home, in routine physical education classes, or on the playground.2 "
Thank you for these links. I've let my kids play on a friend's trampoline with a safety net enclosure, but after looking at this, I may need to put the kibosh on that!
They are inherently dangerous and no amount of monitoring and instruction
"in safe use" will really help mitigate that fact.
The netting has not really been found to be helpful either...
Most injuries happen on the diaphragm of the trampoline itself, typically the "jumper" is coming down when the diaphragm is coming up which is equivalent to hitting concrete.
I have seen so many senseless injuries from these things I won't let my kids near them.
For those who keep saying "well bikes, scooters, skateboards etc are all dangerous too...."
Ask yourself, "Why is it that many homeowners policies will not cover you if you have a trampoline, and may in fact nullify your coverage?"
They won't do that if you have bikes in the garage...
Another very telling sign, I'm an Orthopaedic PA, ask any Orthopaedic Surgeon, ER doc, ER nurse, paramedic, Neurologist, Neurosurgeon etc if THEY would ever own a trampoline.....there is a very good reason why I am betting you will get nearly 100% condemnation of these "toys"
Check craigs list. You can get them used or even free in some cases. Make sure that they do not need a new jumping pad though, those are expensive. Do nto get anything with frayed or torn fabric.
Everythign is dangerous. Driving in a car is extremely dangerous. SO is riding a bike. Swimming - death defying act. Walking in the woods (poison ivy, snakes, stone to twist and ankle or even break a leg, tree branches falling - lions and tigers and bears - oh my). Slingshots, BB guns, paintball, airsoft all potentially dangerous, however they sell ike mad and we do not have a massive blind or one eyed priate population running around.
The point is life is fraught with risks and danger. Will you feel terrible if your kid or a neighbor kid jumps clean off the trampoline and ends up paralyzed? You sure will. You have to weight the risks and the benefits just like anything else.
Our society is too hung up on the concept that we need to eliminate all risk or dange from our children's lives. Just roll them in a blanket in their padded room and leave them there and see how they turn out. Life is all about taking risks. They may as well learn that now. Hopefully you will be in the lucky majority and nothing will ever happen to your child. If you are not, then you will have to live with it.
Everything can be second guessed. "If Only I had put him in the back seat instead of the fornt. If Only I had told him no swimming in the lake" Etc. Personally, I choose to take some reaosonable risks and live with the consequences. I like to live, not cower away hiding from percieved danages or risks. I intend to raise my kids the same way.
Thus, we are going to get a trampoline as soon as we find one that we like. however it will only beused with supervision and neighbor kids can only use it if their parents give permission to me after I make sure that tehy know that there are risks.
Do check your homeowners policy though. Usually you an get coverage, but you have to get a rider that costs a little more. The issue is the severeity of trampoline accidents more than the number of them.
Some inrunace companies will nto cover back yard pools either. I saw one application that asks if you have or intend to have a tree fort. How far can you go?
trampoline is a part of gymnastics. there is a right and wrong way to do it. it is very easy to sustain serious injury by falling or twisting incorrectly or falling off the edge most common is head or back injuries.
far more dangerous than riding a bike-- assuming you dont do so into a truck. btw if they need some activity --spelling is a great use of time..
it's "or not to" not "or not too".
I love it when pedantic posts try to correct spelling or grammar but include errors (I get lots of those becuae I do nto spell check or proof read posts - not worth my time).
A sentence generally begins with a capital letter. "trampoline is a part of gymnastics" is not a complete sentence and has no meaning as written. ". . . falling off the edge most common is head. . ." is missing either a word or punctuation or both and makes no sense as written.
I never correct people posts, except when they get snide with other people. When you are perfect, then you can throw stones. Skip the spelling and make a study of basic grammar your "great use of time". Go back through your posts, do you have no spelling errors ever? You certainly are not free of grammatical errors.
my kiddos take average life risks. They all have bikes, do sports, have a swing set and a pool. Theyre in no way deprived or sheltered simply because they dont have a trampoline. It always amazes me, how even when told by people that work with these on a daily basis, and by doctors/nurses that they all HIGHLY advice NOT to get one, that its shrugged off and people get the "Well, I know better then they do" attitude. and people figure that the professionals must be trying to ruin their fun or something. Hummmm...
whats sad, is how many kids will get seriously injured because of some parents attitudes. These are not toys. Some people really don't care about the risks to their kids though. Obviously.
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btw, even if the tramp bed looks fine, it can still have soft spots in it or dead areas. Theses arent very easy to spot, and can cause instability and injuries. But, if you are getting a trampoline to put in the backyard for your kiddos anyhow, you probably dont care.
my kiddos take average life risks. They all have bikes, do sports, have a swing set and a pool. Theyre in no way deprived or sheltered simply because they dont have a trampoline. It always amazes me, how even when told by people that work with these on a daily basis, and by doctors/nurses that they all HIGHLY advice NOT to get one, that its shrugged off and people get the "Well, I know better then they do" attitude. and people figure that the professionals must be trying to ruin their fun or something. Hummmm...
whats sad, is how many kids will get seriously injured because of some parents attitudes. These are not toys. Some people really don't care about the risks to their kids though. Obviously.
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btw, even if the tramp bed looks fine, it can still have soft spots in it or dead areas. Theses arent very easy to spot, and can cause instability and injuries. But, if you are getting a trampoline to put in the backyard for your kiddos anyhow, you probably dont care.
The problem is that if you follow all of the advice of the "professionals" your children will never leave their matress on the floor and never eat nything except green eans and broccoli. Our society has gone insane. OUr government seems to think that it has the obligation to take away all risk and prevent anyone from doing anything that someone thinks is dangerous. Do your kids swim? That is most likely statistically far more dangerous than a trampoline.
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