Warning! Don’t Slide Down the Slide With Your Kid
Photo: Thinkstock / The Bump
On top of watching out for creepy strangers and making sure your kid plays nice with the other kids, you’ve got to be extra careful when he’s on the slide. You’d think that by putting your child on your lap when you’re going down a slide would be safe, but really it could injure him. According to The New York Times, children going down a slide with their parent are at risk for fractures. Orthopedic specialists say a number of toddlers and young children are treated for broken legs because they rode down a slide on their mom or dad’s lap. In fact, researchers found that 14 percent of pediatric leg fractures over 11 months involved this method of play.
So why does riding down a slide with a parent have a greater fracture risk than if a sliding alone? Well, if a child’s foot gets caught on the slide, he can stop sliding to free himself. But if he’s sliding with a parent, the adult’s weight may make it harder to stop or for his leg to be freed. Most of the fractures reported by the researchers involved children under three years old.
Instead, doctors suggest allowing your child to slide by himself, but with close supervision. Stand at the side of the slide to make sure your kid is riding down safely. If you still want to ride down the slide with your tot (even though it’s not recommended), remove your child’s shoe or make sure his legs don’t touch the edges of the slide.
Does this make you nervous about going to the playground? Will you stop sliding with your tot?
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Thanks for sharing this new information! I saw the same New York Times srticle and was really surprised that going down a slide with my daughters could potentially hurt them. I’ll definitely be touching on this on my website’s blog soon!
I am generally skeptical of all the newly announced “dangers” parents are warned of, HOWEVER I agree with this one! this has happened to not one, but two children I personally know. Spiral fractures for both of them after sliding on their mommies’ laps! Now I have my own toddler and I’ve refrained from sliding down with him. I would feel like idiot of the year if that happened to him, after having known this could happen!
How am I supposed to keep up with all the do sand dont’s of having a child! Lets add one more thing to the list f what not to do.
I’ve never had my kiddo’s fracture anything but the danger is definitely there, as soon as their little shoe hits the plastic on the slide their foot doesn’t move and it can quickly and easily lodge behind you. If this happens quickly drop your rubber soles onto the slide to stop yourself while you are fixing their foot. I will typically keep their shoes off and socks on while sliding (bare feet can stick too) and if they are too little to slide down on their own I will sit them on me where they face me and put their feet one on either side, that way their is no risk of their little feet getting twisted around or caught on anything. I have 5 kiddo’s and have been doing this since my 1st one had a near miss on the slide when he was little. We have not had any problems since.
I say just be careful whatever all parents do with their kids. There is a wrong for everything you do. You never win. Kids will get hurt. I’m sure when they do, they’ll be thinking how much fun they were having cos they were with mom and/or dad. I can’t say I’ll never do it again, but I will be more careful.
I did this with my son when he was 1 and indeed he broke his leg! It was horrible!!!! I thought I was keeping him safe and instead I injured him. His little boot got stuck behind my leg. He wore a baby cast for 2 months. DON”T DO IT!!!!!
I can’t believe they even publish stories like this! Seriously. My god people, just have fun with your children. Be a Parent and be careful and make sure you are protecting them in the process!