Mum Warns Parents About Dangers Of Trampolines For Kids Under Six, So What Is The Safety Guidance?

A mum has warned other parents about the dangers of trampolines after her son broke his thigh bone, from his hip to his knee.

Kait Ellen, from the US, said she felt “compelled” to share what happened after being advised her three-year-old shouldn’t have been on the trampoline.

“As hard as it is to relive the past 12 days, we feel compelled to make other parents aware of the danger associated with indoor trampoline parks,” she wrote on Facebook on Friday 7 July.

“Colton fell and broke his femur, the strongest bone in his body, while innocently jumping alongside his dad and I.”

Ellen said that according to the America Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), children under the age of six should never use a trampoline.

She wrote: “This is due to the fact that their fragile bones are not meant to withstand the repetitive pressure from jumping.

“We had no idea and were shocked to find this out from our pediatric surgeon during Colton’s hospital stay.

“Our lives have been turned upside down since Colton’s accident and every day is a struggle for his sweet three-year-old self as he adjusts to life in a cast.

″We did want to make one thing clear... we were not bouncing in the same square as Colton when the injury occurred,” she added.

“We hope by sharing his story it will prevent a child and their family from experiencing the trauma and heartbreak associated with trampoline injuries in young children.”

HuffPost UK contacted The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) to see if the same advice was true in the UK. The organisation confirmed that their advice reiterates what AAP stated.

“60% of injuries occur when more than one person is on the trampoline – with the smaller person the most likely to be hurt,” the spokesperson said.

The advice on their website reads: “Trampolining isn’t suitable for children under the age of six because they’re not sufficiently physically developed to control their bouncing.

“Adult supervision is no guarantee of safety. More than half of all trampoline accidents occur whilst under supervision. However a trained ‘spotter’ can greatly reduce this risk.”

For more trampoline safety advice, read RoSPA’s guidance here.

Before You Go

7 Fun Creative Craft Projects For Toddlers

Make a crown fit for a prince or princess(01 of07)

Wrap bendable card around your child's head, take the measurement and trim off the excess card. Next, cut the card into a crown using a zigzag or get creative and try sticky-up hair or a favourite animal’s head or ears. Now it's your toddler's turn to decorate the card with felt tip pens, paint and glued-on bits of paper. Once they’re done staple the short sides together to create the crown. This is a great craft project for a play date. (credit:Matelly via Getty Images)

Make a car for whacky races(02 of07)

Large cardboard boxes are just begging to be transformed into cars. Glue paper plates to the side as wheels and let your child's imagination roar. They may want to draw in people and make a bus or add windscreens and doors but let them take the driving seat. (credit:patrickheagney via Getty Images)

Make a mask(03 of07)

Make masks with paper plates, hole punched on either side and threaded with elastic to fit your child's head. Your toddler can create whatever face they like using pens, paint, cut up tissue paper for hair and pipe cleaners for whiskers. (credit:igor kisselev, www.close-up.biz via Getty Images)

Make a model with modelling clay(04 of07)

Toddlers love squishing, rolling and moulding play dough with different shaped cutters and their hands. Keep your homemade play dough in a sealed container or mix up a new batch with this super simple recipe: 3 cups of flour; 2 tablespoons of cornflour, 1 cup of salt, 1 cup of cold water and 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil. Your toddler will love mixing up the ingredients. Divide your dough and choose different food colourings. Note: The salt content of homemade play dough is very high - keep an eye on your toddler to make sure they don’t eat any. (credit:Westend61 via Getty Images)

Do some potato printing and finger painting(05 of07)

Halve a few potatoes and cut out shapes of stars, circles, letters or animals (whatever your child asks you to do). Then, dip the cut out potato half into washable, brightly coloured poster paint and it's time for some stamping fun on plain paper. Hand printing is lots of squelchy fun too (and you'll have a lovely record of just how little their hands were). (credit:Michaela Gunter via Getty Images)

Make some binoculars or a telescope(06 of07)

This couldn't be simpler: after your toddler has painted two cardboard tubes the colours of their choice, tape them together for a pair of binoculars. A single longer roll (from your kitchen towel) makes a great pirate's telescope too. (credit:Chris Stein via Getty Images)

Make some silly glasses(07 of07)

Cut out a pair of glasses in plain cardboard. Stick coloured cellophane into the holes as lenses and let your toddler paint them in bright, funky colours. Once the paint is dry, provide a selection of sparkly bits and pieces to decorate: think sequins, buttons, self-adhesive spots, even pasta shapes. Now your toddler is ready for a super-cute photo opportunity. Note: Ensure your toddler is supervised at all times as small objects like sequins and buttons are choking hazards. (credit:Westend61 via Getty Images)