Citation

Ferro V, D'Alfonso Y, Vanacore N, Rossi R, Deidda A, Giglioni E, Reale A, Raucci U. Eur. J. Pediatr. 2015; 175(4): 499-507.

Affiliation

Emergency Pediatric Department, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy. umberto.raucci@opbg.net.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s00431-015-2659-5

PMID

26521173

Abstract

A sharp uptrend in emergency department (ED) visits for injuries associated with inflatable bouncers (IBs) has been observed recently. The aim of this study is to describe the epidemiology and features of injuries resulting from the use of IBs at an Italian pediatric ED. We collected data of 521 children from GIPSE (regional software for management of admission at ED) in the period of 2002-2013. The injuries were slightly more frequent in males than females (52.4 vs 47.6 %). Preschooler children were the most commonly injured (45.7 %). The occurrence of injuries increased by year (eight cases in 2002 and 90 cases in 2013), and a seasonal variability was reported (207 cases in the period of April-June). The most common body region injured was the upper extremity (52.4 %). Children with fractures were 126 times more likely to have injured the upper extremity rather than other body regions compared with patients with no fracture (p < 0.05). Humerus and radius/ulna fractures occurred most commonly in preschooler children (p < 0.05). Fractures were 43 times more likely to be hospitalized than children with no fracture (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Injuries associated with IBs increased over time. Preschooler children were most injured, and this means there is insufficient adherence to existing recommendations concerning an age limit. What is Known: • Along with the skyrocketing popularity of IBs among children, the number of children presenting to ED with injuries from these plays has also been increasing at an alarming rate; • The European literature about this phenomenon is scarce and no specific legislations exist for safety of these devises in European Union (EU). What is New: • This is the first study in EU that examines trends for pediatric inflatable bouncer-related injuries at ED over an 11-year period. • Although American Academy of Pediatrics recommends restrictions of attendance to IBs under 6 years old, injuries and fractures continue to occur more frequently under this age.

Language: en