To think i was bloody stupid getting a trampoline?

[CollyWombles]

My 11 year old DD broke her arm badly yesterday morning, on the three week old trampoline I got for all my DC this summer.

I was so careful about picking one, made sure it was good quality, good safety net, the safety piles are angled out from the trampoline so there was no way of hitting them, made sure it was two DC at a time. But she went on it at 8.30am yesterday, I was still asleep. And she tried to do a back flip, except she landed on her arm and broke it so badly, it was at funny angles with an open puncture from the bone inside.

We went by ambulance to the hospital, after a shot of morphine and cutting through the net to get her off the trampoline. She was at hospital by 9am, more morphine and she was operated on at 5pm yesterday. She had a rod in her arm, a metal plate and two screws.

I had only be telling my mother just recently that she was not to allow the kids of her safety netless trampoline, then my DD breaks her arm on my supposedly safe one. I feel like an irresponsible parent and seeing her in such pain was dreadful.

I broke my arm aged 6 when my sister pushed me out our tree house, and I landed badly! Two weeks in hospital in traction. Tree house still there 20 years later, would have been devastated if my dad had got rid of it!!

My best friends daughter badly broke her arm (requiring operation/ wiring) 2 weeks ago jumping off the swing. These things happen. Thank goodness for modern healthcare. 100 years ago I would have been screwed!!

yes, she should have been supervised, but it might not have prevented the accident

I did the same to my arm t that age, tripping over my shoelace whilst fully supervised. Should my parents have not allowed me shoe laces??

$0 years ago, and I'm looking at the scar right now!

On the other hand, she could have also bounced on it a 1000 times and never broke her arm. It's not anyone's fault, it's just something that happened by chance and unfortunately as it's new you are making the connection that it is your fault. These things happen. Hope she recovers quickly.

Ooch! Never mind, by the end of summer she will be back at it... she could have done that any day at training for gymnastics. Don't let it scare you into scaring her off !

We've had many trampolines over the year. There's always been one in our garden. 3 kids, 20, 15 and 7. A few weeks back my dd broke her arm on it. Middle son bouncing her too hard, messing about. I was watching them do it. Looking back, I should have stopped them, but accidents happen. It was her first time in A and E. The NHS staff were brilliant, and we were seen quickly. So grateful for the way they took care of her. Hope your dd gets better quickly 🙂

It's a childhood accident. I broke my foot when I was 6 at the then equivalent of soft play. Jumped off something and landed funny. My sister tripped over her own feet and broke her arm at the same age. She'll mend!

Don't feel guilty. Ds1 is now 15 averaged 1 trip a month from 18 months to 7 years but they were that used to seeing us at a&e all the nurses were on first name terms with us

Accidents happen and some kids are more accident prone than others. Honestly she'll think her cast is cool and want everyone to sign it.

Deep breath
Given how safety conscious you were I assume you had chats with her about what was safe and OK for the trampoline? She is 11 not 5, so whilst I wouldn't be hard on her at all because she is obviously suffering she was old enough to be more sensible about how to use the trampoline, and as a gymnast she would have known about how to safely use a trampoline and have a spotter.
You knew she might try this, she most likely knew she shouldn't this isn't all your fault. She has learned the hard way why there are so many rules around gymnastics and around trampolining

Having done competitive trampolining where somersaults and flips are very carefully taught and often done multiple times in rotating harnesses to prevent injury. And even then occasionally arms got broken.
Somersaults and flips were an absolute no no on our home trampoline. Bouncing and seat drops fine, I taught front drops and back drops before they were allowed.

You weren't stupid. The only thing is it should be one child at a time, not two, (banged heads etc) but that wouldn't have changed the broken arm situation as she was the only child on it.

We have just put ours up and it makes a nice change to see the dc on it instead of in their room.

It’s no one’s fault and just bad luck.

But i’m Not sure i’m Impressed with your children being in the garden alone in the morning while you were still in bed? Maybe a lesson to be learned there?

And trampolines are bloody dangerous!

She learnt a lesson god love her - she'll listen to you next time when you say something isn't safe.
It's a horrible thing to happen but it wasn't the trampoline that caused it, it was your dd doing something physically dangerous which she could have done anywhere. Don't blame yourself. She's old enough to listen and to take responsibility if she ignores safety advice.

Accidents happen OP

My dd broke her leg on one when she was just 2. It was a hairline fracture which didn't need plastering. She was limping around for a little while though bless her.

I refuse to let my children go on them now.

I'm a total fun sponge re trampolines. They're not toys and I won't allow my DC to have one or use one outside of proper lessons. And I'm not risk averse in general. I take them hiking, climbing and fell running and they do archery, gymnastics and swim/ride bikes etc. I have two friends who are paediatric radiographers and they both hate trampolines due to the debilitating injuries they've seen. They both say they see it every day, from severe breaks to paralysis.

OP, it was an accident. It does happen and every parent has been there. You must have had such a fright. It will take a while to get over it. I wish her a v speedy recovery.

My brother broke both his arms AT THE SAME time falling of a sledge.
I broke my wrist when someone tripped me over backwards in the playground. Honestly, it’s not your fault. You’ve just all had a horrible shock. Hope your DD is better soon.

She has just had more morphine as her arm was hurting her again. Thanks all, its just been horrendous and I don't think I could keep the trampoline, when I went home for a quick shower and change and saw it in my garden, all I could see was my DD's mangled arm and her screaming. I want it gone.

I’ve just seen a teenager break her leg very badly on a trampoline and tear the artery behind her knee. She needed a bypass graft to save her leg and has the risk of limb loss if the graft clots for the rest of her life. Dangerous toys.

We have been advised not to let the dc go on trampolines or play rugby. I would probably feel the same as you and want to be rid of it even though I would hate telling the dc and the loss of money. You might feel differently in a few weeks though. It could have been worse though and hopefully it will heal up quickly.

Don't feel guilty. My daughter was just under 2 when she was standing on our trampoline chatting to me, she wasn't bouncing. She went to cross her legs to sit down on it, I was about a foot away, and her leg broke!! It was an awkward slow sort of bounce, a freak thing, but god I felt guilty!

She's 8 now, all is well!