Moon Bounce Injuries and How to Avoid Them
By: Cohen, Placitella & Roth @ Sep 18, 2017
If you are a parent in Philadelphia, you probably know what a moon bounce is. For those who don’t, a moon bounce is a type of large, inflatable bounce house or bounce castle that is typically found at children’s events, ranging from school fairs to birthday parties. Moon bounces may seem safe enough, and as they are a favorite thing amongst children, restricting their use can be tough for a parent to do. However, moon bounces are more dangerous than one may think. Here’s what you need to know about the dangers of large inflatables, and tips for avoiding personal injuries—
How Dangerous Are Inflatables Like Moon Bounces?
An article published in Philly.com cites data provided by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) that reveals that between the years of 2008 and 2013, there were 82,203 people injured to the point of seeking emergency room care on inflatables, and 90 percent of those inflatables were moon bounces. About 15 percent of injuries recorded were to the head or face, and about ⅔ of injuries were to the arms or legs. The Philly.com article also cites the journal Pediatrics, which reported that over the course of a single year, a child was injured on an inflatable moon bounce once every 46 minutes.
How to Avoid Moon Bounce Injuries
The statistics above should cause parents to think twice about whether or not they want to rent an inflatable for their child’s next birthday party, or allow their child to enter a moon bounce at the next event they attend. While total prohibition may be tempting, there are some thing that you can do as a parent to reduce the risk of injury without completely banning bouncing. For example:
- Don’t allow multiple kids in the moon bounce at once. Sure, part of the fun of a bounce house is jumping with friends, but injuries are more likely when more than one person jumps at once. In fact, a large portion of moon bounce injuries are caused by children’s limbs or heads slamming into each other. The easiest way to prevent this is to set a limit on the number of kids allowed in at a given moment.
- Keep big kids together, and little kids together. Injuries are more common–and often times, more severe–when big and little kids jump together at the same time. If multiple kids are going to enter the bounce house at once, make sure they are all about the same size.
- Set some ground rules. Moon bounces are intended for one thing, and one thing only: bouncing. This means that they should not be used for playing tag, for flips or tricks, or for other rowdy games. Set some ground rules for little ones before they enter the bounce house, and be sure to enforce them.
- Watch closely. Tragically, there have been reports of children being killed or significantly injured in bounce houses as a result of suffocation if the bounce house loses air and starts to collapse. Monitor your children and the moon bounce closely – if it starts to deflate, be prepared to act quickly to get children out.
Contact Our Law Firm for Trusted Legal Services
At the law offices of Cohen, Placitella & Roth, P.C., we know that an injury to a child is the worst thing that a parent can experience. If your child has been injured in a moon bounce in Philadelphia, our experienced injury attorneys can assist you and your family in understanding your options. For a free consultation, contact us today.
