The number of children presenting to Emergency Departments (EDs) with trampoline-related injuries is on the increase, emergency doctors have said.

According to the Irish Association for Emergency Medicine (IAEM), due to a lack of a national ED information system , the exact number of trampoline-related injuries is currently unknown, however it is known that the number is on the increase and summer is a particularly busy time.

International evidence suggests that these types of injuries have doubled in the last decade and in Ireland, it is estimated that for every child who needs to be admitted to hospital, 12 are treated in the ED without the need for orthopaedic follow-up.

Previous research suggests that around 40% of children who do require orthopaedic follow-up end up needing surgery.

The IAEM said that 60% of falls occur on the trampoline itself and not as a result of people falling off it. Such falls are completely preventable, it insisted.

One in three injuries are linked to the presence of other people on the trampoline and in most cases of injuries involving children (60%), the child was not being supervised by an adult.

Meanwhile, adults can also have accidents, especially if alcohol has been consumed.

The IAEM pointed out that in the US, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that trampolines should not be bought for children and parents should not allow their children to use them elsewhere. Furthermore, the American Medical Association recommends that children should not use trampolines, even with adult supervision.

However, as trampolines are so common in Ireland, the IAEM recommends the following safety precautions:
-Only one child should be on the trampoline at a time
-Children should be supervised by an adult
-Trampolines should be surrounded by the appropriate safety netting to stop people falling off
-Anyone who has consumed alcohol should not use a trampoline.

"Following these precautions will reduce, but not eliminate, injuries that otherwise might spoil a child and family's enjoyment of this common recreational activity," the IAEM added.