Over the course of the past few years, rentals of inflatable bounce houses and slides have increased. What was once a treat reserved for festivals is now commonplace in backyards for occasions such as kid birthday parties and block parties. Some people even buy them so that they are on hand whenever they want to use them. While they provide a lot of fun to children, there are dangers that they, as well as their parents may not be aware of.

As the use of inflatables has increased, perhaps not surprisingly, so too have the injuries resulting from their use. One statistic in a neighboring state, indicates that in the 15 year period ending in 2010, the number has increase by 1,500 percent where children are concerned.

The injuries these children suffer often affect the neck and head. As a result of landing on those parts of their bodies, some children sustain concussions. Neck injuries could result in paralysis. Broken bones are also common injuries tied to the use of inflatable bouncers. In the most tragic of situations, the incident will result in death.

The numerous injuries that are tied to these recreational toys may in part be due to the fact that there are currently no safety regulations at the federal level concerning their use. Without those, there is little motivation for operators of the inflatable bouncers to make sure that they are setup and being used correctly. When consequences are in place should violations be found, the risk of an accident occurring often decreases.

Source: News Net 5, "Despite skyrocketing increase in injuries, no U.S Regulations for inflatable bouncers," Sarah Buduson, May 1, 2013