Trampolines may be hazardous to your child's health, pediatricians warn.
The American Academy of Pediatrics reaffirms its earlier cautions about home trampoline use in a new report, published online Sept. 24 in the journal Pediatrics.
"The very forces that make trampoline use fun for many children also lead to unique injury mechanisms and patterns of injury," wrote the report authors. "Pediatricians should only endorse use of trampolines as part of a structured training program with appropriate coaching supervision and safety measures in place."
Rates of trampoline-related injuries have decreased since 2004, but accidents still happen and many have serious consequences, they added.
Almost 98,000 trampoline-related injuries occurred in the United States in 2009, which resulted in 3,100 hospitalizations, according to the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System. Children appear to be injured more often than older jumpers.
