Bouncer Injuries Jump in Last 15 Years

From carnivals to birthday parties, kids love jumping around inside inflatable bouncers. But thousands of them are hurt every year, a new study shows. And the number of injuries is soaring. The study found that about 30 children a day now are being treated in emergency rooms for bouncer injuries. Researchers got their numbers from the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Bouncer injuries treated in hospitals increased from fewer than 1,000 in 1995 to nearly 11,000 in 2010. The numbers doubled just since 2008. Researchers said they were surprised by the rapid increase. Kids most often got hurt by falling inside the bouncer or tumbling out of it. Bumping into other kids also caused injuries. Broken bones, sprains and strains were the most common injuries. Some children had only bruises. But about 7% had concussions. Manufacturers have guidelines designed to promote safe use.