Don't flip out: “Air” on the side of caution on the trampoline

"He was in a lot of pain," said his dad Cameron. "I was surprised to hear how bad it was."

Remy fractured his arm and was in a cast for a month. Doctors see hundreds of kids like Remy every year in hospital emergency departments. They most often see fractures, with the ankles, elbows and head being the most commonly injured parts.

Dr. Erik Swartz, Head of Pediatrics at Vancouver Coastal Health, said, "In Richmond Hospital we see a peak in trampoline injuries between April and September. I see a lot of concussions and broken arms, but more serious injuries definitely do occur."

Stats from the Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program (CHIRPP) show that spine injuries can occur during falls, but more often happen when someone  somersaults or flips. The most common injuries involve jumping or falling off the trampoline. The majority of injuries (80%) occur when two or more children are on the trampoline at the same time.

The trampoline Remy was on did have a safety net but the door wasn't closed at the time.

"We've learned our lesson. We only want him using trampolines that have the safety nets, so he's more secure," said Cameron. "This was the one time it wasn't zipped up. We need to be more mindful next time."

"Of course we want to encourage physical activity and being outdoors," said Dr. Swartz, "but we also want parents and caregivers to err on the side of caution, and take as many precautions as possible to limit preventable injuries."

Evidence-based safety tips

• Only one person should be on the trampoline at a time 

• Closely supervise all children

• Don't jump onto or off a trampoline.

• Have a safety net & keep the door closed

• Reduce risk of neck or spine injuries by limiting flips or somersaults

For more info visit www.vch.ca/about-us/news/trampoline-safety.

VCH is responsible for the delivery of $3.3 billion in community, hospital and residential care to more than one million people in communities including Richmond, Vancouver, the North Shore, Sunshine Coast, Sea to Sky corridor, Powell River, Bella Bella and Bella Coola.

BC Children's Hospital, an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority, provides expert care for the province's most seriously ill or injured children, youth and young adults, including newborns. For more information, visit www.bcchildrens.ca or follow us on Twitter @BCChildrensHosp.

The BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit (BCIRPU), through high quality and comprehensive injury data, evidence-based practices, coordination and collaboration, has maintained a successful program of injury surveillance and research, which has contributed to the understanding and prevention of injury in BC and beyond. BCIRPU operates the BC component of the Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program (CHIRPP) – an injury surveillance system funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada and operating at 17 hospitals across Canada. The program continues to amass extensive data and information on child and youth injury, which is used to inform injury prevention policy and programs. The Unit is located at BC Children's Hospital and is a core research program within the BC Children's Hospital Research Institute's Evidence to Innovation Theme.

Contact

Tiffany Akins

Communications leader, Communications & Public Affairs

Vancouver Coastal Health

Phone: (604) 708-5281