Parkland Ambulance says its paramedics have been called to two children who were injured while using trampolines in one week.
A four-year-old girl was injured in a trampoline incident at around 7:15 p.m. on June 12 on Wahpeton Dakota Nation, which is approximately 15 km northwest of Prince Albert, Sask.
Paramedics cared for the preschooler with significant arm injuries. She was then taken to hospital.
The second trampoline incident occurred at a Prince Albert home in the 1900-block of 14th Street West at roughly 7:50 p.m. on June 19.
Paramedics cared for an injured boy, seven years old, who was last reported in good and stable condition in hospital.
WATCH (Feb. 5, 2019): Surgery on Sherwood Park man injured in trampoline accident ‘a success’
Between 2017 and 2018, 426 people under the age of 20 visited a participating emergency department in Saskatchewan with trampoline-related injuries. The participating departments represent just over 50 per cent of all emergency room visits in the province.
Forty-five per cent of these injuries were considered significant, according to data from the National Ambulatory Care Reporting System.
The Canadian Paediatric Society has stated that trampolines should not be used for recreational purposes at home and should not be seen as play equipment.
If parents choose to let their children use trampolines, the Saskatchewan Prevention Institute’s website has the following recommendations to help reduce the risk of serious injury:
- Do not allow children under the age of six to use a trampoline;
- Allow only one jumper on the trampoline at a time. This prevents injuries from collisions, double-bounces, and landing on each other;
- Do not allow children to do somersaults, tricks, or flips. Stunts can lead to very serious head, neck, and spine injuries;
- Do not allow children to jump with objects on the trampoline, and do not allow them to jump onto the trampoline from another place;
- Supervise children whenever they are using the trampoline to ensure they are using it safely;
- Inspect the trampoline regularly to make sure it is in good condition. Protective padding should completely cover the springs, hooks, frame, and supporting bars. A net enclosure should be installed and used properly. Damaged parts should be replaced; and
- If possible, trampolines should be set at ground level or on a level surface that is clear of hazards.
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