Trampoline for the kids

[Idaho]

My DH and I are buying our children a trampoline for this summer. Our neighbors have one and my kids just love theirs. (And besides I had one when I was a kid and loved it!) Anyway, I am wondering if anyone has one of the 8 footers, that is only 20 inches off the ground. That is the type we would like to buy since our kids are young and our backyard is tiny. Does anyone have one?

 

[Jenn Lynn]

This thread about trampolines was on here not to long ago:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?threadid=533287&highlight=+trampolines

I would check with your homeowners insurance first.

 

[dmfuru]

Check with your homeowner insurance company before buying one. Many insurance companies will not insure a house with a trampoline in the backyard. If you do purchase it your insurance may be canceled.

 

[Deb in IA]

Below is a news release on a revised policy published in the May issue of Pediatrics, the peer-reviewed, scientific journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

CHICAGO - A revised policy from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that trampolines should not be used at home - either indoors or outdoors. The policy goes on to recommend that trampolines should not be part of routine physical education classes in schools, and that the trampoline has no place in outdoor playgrounds and should never be regarded as play equipment.

“Despite all currently available measures to prevent injury, the potential for serious injury while using a trampoline remains. The need for supervision and trained personnel at all times makes home use extremely unwise,” states the revised policy.

Based on data collected by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), the AAP found that trampoline related injuries are on the rise.

Trampoline-related injuries increased 140 percent from 1990 to 1996.
An estimated 83,400 trampoline-related injuries requiring an emergency department visit occurred in 1996 in the United States.
30 percent of trampoline-related injuries treated in an emergency department were fractures, often resulting in hospitalization and surgery.
Catastrophic cervical spine injuries are rare, however head and neck injuries constitute a notable number of the more serious injuries requiring hospitalization.
Since 1990, the CPSC has received reports of six deaths involving trampolines. Victims ranged in age from 3 years through 21 years. Most deaths occurred when victims fell from the trampolines, and most involved the spinal cord.
The AAP concluded that the largest proportion of trampoline-related injuries occurred on home trampolines and that most trampoline-related injuries occurred either while children played on trampolines or as they fell off. They also found that most injuries happen when there are simultaneous multiple users.

If there is an environment in which a trampoline will be used, the AAP offers guidelines on design and behavioral use in order to lessen the chance of injury.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 55,000 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.

 

[my3kids]

I get a yearly survey from my insurance company. They ask questions like, have we acquired a boat? A 3 or 4 wheeler? Do we still have deadbolts? Do we have a woodstove or trampoline? etc. Trampolines scare me to death. Much as my children want one, I am just too afraid to buy one.....not because of the insurance issue, but because of the risk of serious injury.

 

[disneydragon]

Uh, she didn't ask for permission to get one....

 

[Hillbeans]

Originally posted by disneydragon
Uh, she didn't ask for permission to get one....

No, you're right, she didn't. However she may not be aware of the rules about trampolines on her homeowners insurance. I didn't know that until I read that earlier post a few weeks ago.

 

[Idaho]

Actually, we don't have home owner's insurance because we don't own our home. Our landlord is the neighbor who already owns a trampoline, by the way. And I am trying to minimize the risk which is why we are buying the 8 footer, 20 inch off the ground size. It prevents too many kids from trying to use it and it will fit in our garage when we aren't home. I am just wondering if anyone else has one and has liked it and if their kids have played on it since it is shorter and smaller.

 

[disneydragon]

bump

 

[Deb in IA]

Thanks for the bump, dragon, and I hope this will help more parents be aware of the dangers of home trampolines.

 

[disneydragon]

Thanks for the sarcasm, Deb in IA. I thought I would bump it up for her, since she only joined the boards a couple of days ago and already the "parenting police" are on her case. As far as I've heard, trampolines aren't against the law and she can get one if she wants. By the way, kids also get hurt on bicycles, swingsets, skateboards, scooters, rollerblades, and in vehicles. Oh, and they get hurt playing sports as well. Care to start a campaign to eliminate those things, along with trampolines? If you don't agree with a parent buying a trampoline, here's a novel idea, DON'T POST TO THE THREAD. As I said before, she didn't ask for permission, she asked if anyone had one that they could recommend. Since your answer is obviously no, why post?

 

[Idaho]

Thanks for your comment, dragon. I agree with what you have said. Any toy is potentially dangerous if the kids are not supervised or doing something stupid or dangerous with that toy. I would add to your list of other "dangerous" things: playhouses built off of the ground, most school playground equipment, swimming pools, treadmills and other exercise equipment and guns owned by parents. If there are firm rules about the type of "tricks" that kids are allowed to do on a trampoline, parental supervision, and common sense, a trampoline is no more dangerous than any of the other things listed. And besides, we can't keep our kids in a bubble for the rest of their lives fearing that they might somehow get injured. Being outside instead of watching television and getting some exercise and enjoyment out of childhood outweighs the small risk involved. And, as far as the AAP is concerned, they have to err on the side of extreme caution so that some parent doesn't sue them for NOT telling every little thing that could happen to their child on a particular toy/equipment. They also recommend buying a new carseat for every child in the family, and having kids up to the age of 8 in boosters, but how many of us have done that without the law making us???

 

[ckmommy]

Hi Idaho!

Welcome to the DIS...We are not all bad here! Just some here that like to give their opinion, even if it is not asked for! And disney dragon, you said what I had been thinking!

I am a very bad parent in many of the other posters eyes! Yes, we have a trampoline, a large in ground swimming pool with a child safety fence around it, let our kids ride scooters and bicycles with helmets! I actually use the trampoline daily (except now while I am pregant) for exercise. It is awesome for a leg workout! My kids love it as well. We do NOT allow flips, and I am outside whenever the kids are playing on it! It gives the kids great exercise and fresh air that they need--plus tries them out!! Our homeowners insurance did not go up or get cancelled when we bought the tramp or when we put our pool in! I called our insurance company both times before we went ahead with either decisions--the pool and the trampoline.

Good luck with whatever you do!

 

[DemonLlama]

God idea on the smaller size -- ours killed the big circle of yard it sits on and you can't exactly pack it up to move very easily. That said, my gymnast daughter loves hers and is very strict about what she does on it -- I think this gets drilled into her at gym about safety, so she is much less apt to try anything flip-wise that she cannot land every time. On days when she's not in the gym, it keeps from from going crazy without gymnastics. Our homeowners insurance does not exclude trampoline ownership, nor did the policy cost change.

 

[Deb in IA]

Originally posted by disneydragon
Thanks for the sarcasm, Deb in IA. I thought I would bump it up for her, since she only joined the boards a couple of days ago and already the "parenting police" are on her case. As far as I've heard, trampolines aren't against the law and she can get one if she wants. By the way, kids also get hurt on bicycles, swingsets, skateboards, scooters, rollerblades, and in vehicles. Oh, and they get hurt playing sports as well. Care to start a campaign to eliminate those things, along with trampolines? If you don't agree with a parent buying a trampoline, here's a novel idea, DON'T POST TO THE THREAD. As I said before, she didn't ask for permission, she asked if anyone had one that they could recommend. Since your answer is obviously no, why post?

WHOA!! What hostility!!! Temper, temper, my dear.


1. Please show me where I, or anyone else said that trampolines were "against the law" .
2. Parenting police? Hardly. Just copying, word for word, the AAP Policy Statement on home trampolines. THEIR statement, you know. NOT mine.
3. If I recall, we are NOT talking about "bicycles, swingsets, skateboards, scooters, rollerblades, vehicles, . . . and sports" now, are we??? So, not really relevant, are they???
4. Did I miss your appointment as a MODERATOR?
5. Why post? Well, if I can prevent just one child from becoming paralyzed, brain damaged, or even breaking an arm or a leg, then that is worth the crap I'm getting from you. Because I care a lot more about the health and well-being of children than whether you agree with me or not.



Have a WONDERFUL weekend, disneydragon. Oh, and don't forget the board rule against personal attacks.

 

[MICKEY88]

Originally posted by disneydragon
Thanks for the sarcasm, Deb in IA. I thought I would bump it up for her, since she only joined the boards a couple of days ago and already the "parenting police" are on her case. As far as I've heard, trampolines aren't against the law and she can get one if she wants. By the way, kids also get hurt on bicycles, swingsets, skateboards, scooters, rollerblades, and in vehicles. Oh, and they get hurt playing sports as well. Care to start a campaign to eliminate those things, along with trampolines? If you don't agree with a parent buying a trampoline, here's a novel idea, DON'T POST TO THE THREAD. As I said before, she didn't ask for permission, she asked if anyone had one that they could recommend. Since your answer is obviously no, why post?

wow this sounds like the post police....

isn't it the moderators responsibiliy to tell people what they shouldn't say on this site..

to a point all you've said is accurate regarding injuries from sports, bikes, etc...but if tramploines weren't Significantly more risky..why would many insurance companies cancel , or refuse to issue policies where they exist...

 

[Deb in IA]

Originally posted by MICKEY88


isn't it the moderators responsibiliy to tell people what they shouldn't say on this site..

I thought so too, MICKEY.

 

[TalkisCheap]

I'm not going to tell you to not get one, since it is your money and your life, but I will say that my parents will not buy me one, and I don't want one.

I have heard two stories that have definatly made me think twice before getting on one, and definatly not want one. First, one of my aunt's best friends son was on outside on his with one friend, like kids, they always try to show off and of course the boy decided he would try to flip over. Well, he didn't quite turn the flip and ended up breaking his neck and having a looong road to recovery. The second story was told to me by one of my coaches. His ex-wife's daughter had been on a trampoline with one other friend. Because the were jumping at different times and landing at different times, the daughter was coming down as the friend had just gotten up, and because of the way the trampoline was, the daughter landed oddly on the trampoline and broke her leg because of the difference of her and her friends timing.

So, I just thought you should think about that...I'm not telling you you shouldn't or should get one...just that they arn't that safe even when they're 'closer to the ground'. Just my 2 cents...hope you won't hold it against me!


-Caroline

 

[CBRorBust]

We had a trampoline growing up and it was so much fun! If you want one, more power to you. If you don't feel like they are safe and don't want one in your yard...more power to you.

I have more of an issue with young kids going 30+mph on a 4 wheeler than jumping up and down on a big mat!

 

[MICKEY88]

Originally posted by Deb in IA
I thought so too, MICKEY.

I just don't understand the people around here who will jump on someone for offering info,

if someone doesn't like the info..do as I do..ignore it..... it's fairly simple...