trampoline or no trampoline

[pezheadmeg]

No kids of my own yet. But I'm already adamant about not having one.

I needed to have my ankle reconstructed a few summers ago after a bad break. (Granted I manged to destroy it by tripping all of 6 inches, I so need a better story. ) I spent a lot of time at the Ortho's office getting x-rays casts changed, and the post-op infections dealt with. Just about every time I was waiting for my x-rays or to be recasted there was a kid there with a trampoline injury.

I think if they're supervised properly in a gym with padding they're great. I think from a liabilty standpoint--it's a disaster waiting to happen.

 

[xPrincessSmilesx]

If you have cage/net (or you're prepared to dig a hole to put it) have a 1 at a time rule, and supervise to stop flips and silly stuff, then you're greatly reducing much of the risks.

We have one, with a net and are careful around it. 2 years on and absolutely no problems so far.

Obviously trampolines do carry many risks, but those I know who have obtain injuries from them havn't been using them in the correct way.

 

[wdwmom0f3]

Personally, I would not get one. I would not want the liability of someone else's child getting hurt. I have a friend who is a pediatric nurse practitioner and she sees broken bones and all kinds of injuries from trampolines. Her stories scared me!

I agree with you. Our pediatrician also said they are very dangerous and told us not to get one. He was telling us about some of the injuries that he had seen, and that was enough for me.

 

[dsny1mom]

There are many activities that children enjoy that are dangerous.

My older DD broke her wrist (more more serious break than the younger DD had from the trampoline) rollerblading.

I broke my arm as a child while swinging on a swing.

Using swimming pools, bikes, skate boards, jump ropes, monkey bars, and slides have all resulted in injuries for children I know.

There's always a risk of injury when a child does much more than sit still in their own home.

With trampolines, like many other devices, it's all about following the saftey guidelines and adult supervision.

Accidents do happen in every sport and activity that children participate in.

We all get to choose what we allow our children to do. For my children trampolines were OK but walking even a block away alone was forbidden.

dsny1mom

 

[patsfan101]

Never never get a backyard trampoline - its just asking for trouble!

Yes, there are many things that kids do that are dangerous, but why up the ante, so to speak.

We have a pool and and we are so strict about when kids are in it. I never let kids in the pool unless their parent was here when they were little. Now I do allow my kids to have friends in the pool without their parents, but never with out me. it's interesting that other kids don't understand this. Friends of theirs have walked out into the backyard yard saying to me "We're going in the pool now" and I have had to tell them no - not yet. sometimes these friends are pretty unhappy with me. Enforcing safety rules is pretty difficult with other people's children when those kids don't understand the danger involved with whatever the activity is. Do you really want to set yourself up for all that trouble?

Get a basketball net instead.

 

[3boymthr]

I'd say NO Trampoline.

My cousin has one for his kids - no bone breaking accidents yet, but there have been several very close calls. They have the net and the spring cover but youngest DS still jumped and when he came down put his foot thru the space in between the cover, net and the tarp part. It took quite a while to work his foot back out as his clothes became tangled in the spring coils. And once one of the kids jumped, knocked over then came down on top of another child who was standing to the side. Just bumps and bruises but still scary.

DS' BFF fell and broke his elbow on theirs.

I'd rather have a zip line than a trampoline and that says a lot because I'm afraid of heights....

 

[rie'smom]

We have one, in fact it is our third. All of our kids have loved it! Our pediatrician has one for his kids as does our friend who is an orthopedist. Have rules and follow them. We have never had 1 accident and our oldest is almost 34.

There are so many ways that kids can get hurt. Do you not let your children ride bikes, play on skateboards, swim in pools, take part in basketball, football, cheerleading?

 

[Scurvy]

I would never get a trampoline. First there's the fact that insurance rates typically go up when you have one, and some insurance apparently will drop you if you get one and they find out! There's also the fact that you're likely to get sued when the neighbor kid jumps on it and gets injured. Plus, they're very dangerous - I've heard too many horror stories about injuries received on trampolines to ever be comfortable owning one.

ETA - I totally agree with minniecarousel. Trampolines are great, provided they are in a gym with a coach who knows what he is doing. In someones backyard? They are a bad idea.

 

[bettyann29]

we bought one for our kids almost 9 years ago.. at first everyone loved it and jumped on it for several years.. then as they got older, it was used less and less.. the youngest who is now 11 was still jumping on it until she had spinal surgery earlier this year.. while she was in the hospital I decided to take it down and get rid of it.. I was afraid that she might get tempted and try to go back out one day and something might happen..

When they were little we had one of those nets on it and we only let a few people on it at a time..

 

[Carys]

When I read the title, I came onto this thread to say go for it. We had a trampoline growing upon the backlawn, no safety equip such as mats covering the springs, frequently had 2 + people on it, did flips and and everything, and never had a serious injury.

The more I read the more I wondered how we ever survived our childhood! I definately pay attention to things that emergency staff say, I stopped leaving the clothes dryer running while not at home after a fireman said he'd never do that himself. If paramedics are saying no trampolines at home then I'd be thinking pretty carefully about that.

 

[dsny1mom]

"Never never get a backyard trampoline - its just asking for trouble!

Yes, there are many things that kids do that are dangerous, but why up the ante, so to speak."

Having a swimming pool, skate board, roller skates, swing set, jump rope, bike, scooter, ups the ante, as well. As does participating in any sport.

I'm not defending trampolines, per se. I'm just saying that there is risk involved when children do anything physical. The asking for troble part comes into play when any saftey rules are ignored.

Accidents do happen, and not just in backyards. We saw a high school football player become a parapalegic with one legal tackle. So should playing football be considered asking for trouble?

dsny1mom

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

no, we would never have one and DD is not allowed to use one.

 

[DebbieB]

Funny to read this, I was just looking out my back door at my neighbor's yard. They have one with the netting, there are 3 kids jumping on it right now! The mom is there but not paying much attention.

 

[auntie]

I wouldn't get one because of the potential for injuries and the insurance problems already mentioned. Many insurance companies consider them as high of a risk as a pool that is not caged.

I've experienced the same. Insurance carriers will ask you if you have one.
Seems way more of a risk to me than a pool, but they do ask...and I wouldn't lie about it. God forbid there is an injury.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

We don't have one (yet), but my kids jump on their friends trampolines all the time, no injuries so far. They follow the "one at a time" and "no flips" rules.

I have no problem with trampolines. Yes, they are dangerous, but they are fun. It's a trade-off, sometimes we take risks in life to have a little fun, so I'm OK with it. But then, I've also taken my kids white-water rafting and zip-lining in a third-world country.

 

[krcit]

We don't have one although I considered it when the kids asked for one. I spoke to my dd's bff's dad who happens to also be our pediatrician and he said he would never get one. He's really laid back so for him to say that made me rethink it. It's not your everyday broken bones I worry about-have had our share of those with my skateboarding dd, it's the spinal injuries.

 

[Mom21]

I can give input from 2 perspectives. We had a trampoline. We had the cage around it. No one got hurt until the trampoline took a tumble during Hurricane Wilma. RIP trampoline

Now my dd has done gymnastics and then competitive cheer for years and years and years and years. Did I mention it feels like a million years. She broke 4 fingers (1 into the growth plate) in 6 months--all on the trampoline/tumble track with very good supervision and spotting from her coaches. It happens. She now competes on trampoline/ tumbling team and I will admit I do so worry about her. I always stay within 5 minutes of the gym when she is there. But if it happens, it does. I'm not going to keep her from doing something she loves and lives for because I am scared.

With that said, I won't be getting another one for our house even though she begs.

 

[auntie]

We've gone white water rafting several times. We wear a helmet and a life vest. Not to mention there is a guide with us. I still wouldn't get a trampoline. Just my opinion of course. There are always choices that each family must weigh and decide for themselves as to what risks if any they are willing to take. For the sake of "fun"...for us..it was just an unnecessary risk. Of course my youngest is now 18. This ship has sailed..and now we have to worry about him behind the wheel of a car. Wait a minute..that trampoline doesn't sound so dangerous now.


Seems to me there is also a reason the insurance companies either up your premium or drop you all together if they know you've got one. In addition to whatever risks a parent may or may not be willing to take...fact is we live in a very litigious society. Don't think I want to risk loosing my home or being sued for possible injuries sustained by a child who gets hurt while using it.

 

[LovintheLodge]

"Never never get a backyard trampoline - its just asking for trouble!

Yes, there are many things that kids do that are dangerous, but why up the ante, so to speak."

Having a swimming pool, skate board, roller skates, swing set, jump rope, bike, scooter, ups the ante, as well. As does participating in any sport.

I'm not defending trampolines, per se. I'm just saying that there is risk involved when children do anything physical. The asking for troble part comes into play when any saftey rules are ignored.

Accidents do happen, and not just in backyards. We saw a high school football player become a parapalegic with one legal tackle. So should playing football be considered asking for trouble?

dsny1mom

I understand your take on this. However talk to a pediatrician or EMT. It's one of the most dangerous things to have in a backyard. My sister in law is a pediatrician and works primarily in pediatric rehab. The injuries from trampolines are some of the worst she has seen.

 

[BeckyScott]

Oooh, oh, oh, I have a story for you!

A couple of years ago my mom gave us an exercise trampoline. Not a full-size one, but one of those little ones like 2 feet diameter. Youngest DS had been using one in physical therapy and my mom thought we could use one for the house. (she bought it for herself but then got un-motivated)

It was in the house for several months and one day I was cleaning and the weather was nice so I just pitched it out into the back yard, where it was promptly forgotten.

A few weeks later we got a letter from our insurance company that we were cancelled. Off of an exercise trampoline.

I called our insurance broker and asked what was going on. She said nothing she could do, even though it was a small trampoline, the only way to get our insurance back was to bring her proof that we'd gotten rid of it. Kid and physical therapy aside, they didn't care.

We threw the trampoline in the back seat of the car and drove it over to her office. Took it in. The whole office was shocked, that we'd get our insurance cancelled off of that, they didn't believe me when I said it was a small one. No idea who "turned us in". We left the trampoline with her (we didn't really need it, and it was free) and got our insurance back.

I asked why we'd gotten busted for that silliness, when there are people all over town that have big ones. I was told the only reason those people still have insurance is because the insurance doesn't know they have the trampoline.

I still cannot believe we got our insurance cancelled off of an exercise trampoline.