March 23, 2020 by Amy Kimberlain
Roundup: Parents Warned of Trampoline Risks for Kids; Coffee Drinkers May Live Longer
It may seem like a harmless activity for kids, but even enclosed trampolines can cause serious injuries and are not generally recommended for children, especially those under 6 years of age.
A recent injury suffered by a 3-year-old Tampa boy while jumping at an indoor trampoline park has spurred national attention on social media and sparked questions about the the safety of trampolines, both in public settings and at home.
Kaitlin Hill, a nurse and a mother of two from Tampa, told ABC News that her son, Colton, broke his femur and was put in a cast from his waist down after a visit to a local indoor trampoline park in June.
“The pain that he went through and the pain that he is continuously going through at this point — it’s been a nightmare,” she said. Hill posted a photo of Colton in his cast on her Facebook page, with the caption “As hard as it is to relive the past 12 days, we feel compelled to make other parents aware of the danger associated with indoor trampoline parks.” The post has generated nearly 270,000 shares since last Friday.
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) recommends keeping children under the age of 6 away from trampolines.
Says the AAOS website: “Most trampoline injuries occur on home trampolines and more than 90 percent are sustained by children—mostly between the ages of 5 and 14. More than three-quarters of trampoline injuries occur when two or more children are jumping at the same time and collide.”
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is even stricter in its recommendation. The AAP says advises against trampoline use for all children, emphasizing that enclosures and padding may not prevent injuries and can provide a false sense of safety.
Says the AAP: “Pediatricians should counsel their patients and families against recreational trampoline use and explain that current data indicate safety measures have not significantly reduced injury rates and that catastrophic injuries do occur.”
Most trampoline injuries involve sprains or bone fractures in the arms and legs, according to the AAOS. But much more severe injuries are not uncommon. “Landing incorrectly when performing somersaults or other high-risk maneuvers often leads to head and neck injuries that can be particularly devastating,” said the AAOS.
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Coffee Drinkers May Live Longer
Coffee drinkers can rejoice. They may also live longer and stay disease free, according to two new studies published this week in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
A study by researchers at the National Cancer Institute, University of Southern California and University of Hawaii, found people who drank two or more cups of coffee a day were 18 percent less likely to have died during the 16-year study period. Of the 185,000 study participants, those who drank one to six cups of coffee per week had a 12 percent less chance of early death.
And in this case, more can actually be better. The researchers also found that the more coffee one drinks, the less likely he or she is to die from one or more of several diseases, including heart disease, cancer, chronic lower respiratory disease, stroke, diabetes or kidney disease. Health conditions that coffee had no effect on the risk of dying of included flu, pneumonia, Alzheimer’s, accidents or suicide.
Another study, the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition, found that coffee drinkers may also live longer. It concluded from the top 25 percent of coffee drinkers in 10 European countries that drinking coffee reduced the chance of early death in men by 12 percent, while the risk was 7 percent lower in women.
The researchers explain the antioxidants found in coffee help cells ward off the damaging effects of free radicals. Also, the genes that break down coffee in the body can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol.
The news is just as good for people who drink decaffeinated coffee. The results in the caffeine-free group were similar to the coffee-drinking group.
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