I hate those tall jungle gyms with open spaces! Any kid can fall. They truly shouldn’t be built that high.

Anonymous wrote:

Playground-Related TBIs

The overall rate of ED visits for playground-related TBI has significantly increased in recent years (2005-2013)

About two-thirds of playground-related TBIs occurred at school and places or recreation or sports and often involved monkey bars, climbing equipment, or swings.

Most ED visits for playground-related TBIs occur during weekdays, Monday through Friday.

Playground-related TBI ED visits occurred frequently during the months of April, May, and September.

Has the death rate from TBI related to playground falls increased during that time?

Because my guess is that ED visits has gone up due to heightened awareness of TBI risk in general. In decades past kids fell; as long as they didn't lose consciousness they would just sit the rest of recess out, maybe get sent to the nurse but not taken to the ER.

Yep, agree with this. Everyone thought it you didn't throw up or even if you did, that once you got better, you were over it. I was treated overseas for a concussion as a kid much more aggressively than I would have been treated at that time in the US, and still my parents never heard anything about risks of TBIs going forward. Once I was released from the hospital to go home, I was told to not go back to school for a month, but that was it. No one knew the long term TBi risks back then.

Anonymous wrote:Rubber mulch is the safest

I mean, aside from all the chemicals and unknown effects of those...

Reading this makes me sick to my stomach. I hope this little boy is okay. Please keep us updated if you hear any news OP.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have NEVER understood why those openings are permitted. I constantly worry my 5yo will do exactly that- either take a step back and fall or be jostled and fall. Honestly those openings seem like horrible design.

I agree!

But how do you have ladders and sliding poles then? I don't see how guardrails would work. Or do you suggest that the only way up a climbing structure be by stairs?

That would be a vast improvement.

So why bring your kid to the park at all? Let them safely climb the carpeted stairs at home, holding on to the railing, one step at a time, with your supervision.

Just let your kid climb a tree in your backyard. That's actually free-range! Win win.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have NEVER understood why those openings are permitted. I constantly worry my 5yo will do exactly that- either take a step back and fall or be jostled and fall. Honestly those openings seem like horrible design.

I agree!

But how do you have ladders and sliding poles then? I don't see how guardrails would work. Or do you suggest that the only way up a climbing structure be by stairs?

That would be a vast improvement.

So why bring your kid to the park at all? Let them safely climb the carpeted stairs at home, holding on to the railing, one step at a time, with your supervision.

Having only stairs would be a great disservice to kids. My DS was slightly delayed in gross motor skills and motor planning. One of the things PT advised was climbing things (various types of ladders) at the playground. You take those out and you're going to have far more kids behind in motor skills.

Be as snide as you want, those openings are a hazard.

it's fine to have ladders. they just don't need to be 20-ft high ladders. just having shorter ladders would be a lot safer.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have NEVER understood why those openings are permitted. I constantly worry my 5yo will do exactly that- either take a step back and fall or be jostled and fall. Honestly those openings seem like horrible design.

I agree!

But how do you have ladders and sliding poles then? I don't see how guardrails would work. Or do you suggest that the only way up a climbing structure be by stairs?

I'm sure there are ways. I mean, OSHA would not allow an open hole to be on any kind of elevated platform! https://www.osha.gov/Publications/fall_protection_qc.html

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have NEVER understood why those openings are permitted. I constantly worry my 5yo will do exactly that- either take a step back and fall or be jostled and fall. Honestly those openings seem like horrible design.

I agree!

But how do you have ladders and sliding poles then? I don't see how guardrails would work. Or do you suggest that the only way up a climbing structure be by stairs?

That would be a vast improvement.

So why bring your kid to the park at all? Let them safely climb the carpeted stairs at home, holding on to the railing, one step at a time, with your supervision.

Having only stairs would be a great disservice to kids. My DS was slightly delayed in gross motor skills and motor planning. One of the things PT advised was climbing things (various types of ladders) at the playground. You take those out and you're going to have far more kids behind in motor skills.

Be as snide as you want, those openings are a hazard.

Will you cut down all the trees too? KIds need to learn how to function and be aware of their bodies and surroundings. If they aren't able to do that then it is your job to watch them, not make the world so padded and protected that they could never be hurt. Will you allow your child to drive when they are of age?

Nothing to do with trees. Those openings are a hazard. It’s obvious given the thread you are commenting on. That’s a horrific and preventable tragedy.

Rubber mulch is the safest

What kind of hazardous opening is everyone talking about? Just the regular ones that open up to sliding poles, ladders, monkey bars, etc. or something else? Most playground equipment with these are marketed to 5-12 and I always remind my kids to not crowd the landings and watch where they’re going. My younger kids play on the equipment meant for them unless the park is deserted and I’ll let them on the bigger stuff with older siblings.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have NEVER understood why those openings are permitted. I constantly worry my 5yo will do exactly that- either take a step back and fall or be jostled and fall. Honestly those openings seem like horrible design.

I agree!

But how do you have ladders and sliding poles then? I don't see how guardrails would work. Or do you suggest that the only way up a climbing structure be by stairs?

That would be a vast improvement.

So why bring your kid to the park at all? Let them safely climb the carpeted stairs at home, holding on to the railing, one step at a time, with your supervision.

Having only stairs would be a great disservice to kids. My DS was slightly delayed in gross motor skills and motor planning. One of the things PT advised was climbing things (various types of ladders) at the playground. You take those out and you're going to have far more kids behind in motor skills.

Be as snide as you want, those openings are a hazard.

Will you cut down all the trees too? KIds need to learn how to function and be aware of their bodies and surroundings. If they aren't able to do that then it is your job to watch them, not make the world so padded and protected that they could never be hurt. Will you allow your child to drive when they are of age?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have NEVER understood why those openings are permitted. I constantly worry my 5yo will do exactly that- either take a step back and fall or be jostled and fall. Honestly those openings seem like horrible design.

I agree!

But how do you have ladders and sliding poles then? I don't see how guardrails would work. Or do you suggest that the only way up a climbing structure be by stairs?

That would be a vast improvement.

So why bring your kid to the park at all? Let them safely climb the carpeted stairs at home, holding on to the railing, one step at a time, with your supervision.

Having only stairs would be a great disservice to kids. My DS was slightly delayed in gross motor skills and motor planning. One of the things PT advised was climbing things (various types of ladders) at the playground. You take those out and you're going to have far more kids behind in motor skills.

Be as snide as you want, those openings are a hazard.

I'm not being snide, I'm talking about the very real downsides of changing a play structure the way you think it should be changed.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have NEVER understood why those openings are permitted. I constantly worry my 5yo will do exactly that- either take a step back and fall or be jostled and fall. Honestly those openings seem like horrible design.

I agree!

But how do you have ladders and sliding poles then? I don't see how guardrails would work. Or do you suggest that the only way up a climbing structure be by stairs?

That would be a vast improvement.

So why bring your kid to the park at all? Let them safely climb the carpeted stairs at home, holding on to the railing, one step at a time, with your supervision.

Having only stairs would be a great disservice to kids. My DS was slightly delayed in gross motor skills and motor planning. One of the things PT advised was climbing things (various types of ladders) at the playground. You take those out and you're going to have far more kids behind in motor skills.

Be as snide as you want, those openings are a hazard.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have NEVER understood why those openings are permitted. I constantly worry my 5yo will do exactly that- either take a step back and fall or be jostled and fall. Honestly those openings seem like horrible design.

I agree!

But how do you have ladders and sliding poles then? I don't see how guardrails would work. Or do you suggest that the only way up a climbing structure be by stairs?

That would be a vast improvement.

So why bring your kid to the park at all? Let them safely climb the carpeted stairs at home, holding on to the railing, one step at a time, with your supervision.

Having only stairs would be a great disservice to kids. My DS was slightly delayed in gross motor skills and motor planning. One of the things PT advised was climbing things (various types of ladders) at the playground. You take those out and you're going to have far more kids behind in motor skills.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have NEVER understood why those openings are permitted. I constantly worry my 5yo will do exactly that- either take a step back and fall or be jostled and fall. Honestly those openings seem like horrible design.

I agree!

But how do you have ladders and sliding poles then? I don't see how guardrails would work. Or do you suggest that the only way up a climbing structure be by stairs?

That would be a vast improvement.

So why bring your kid to the park at all? Let them safely climb the carpeted stairs at home, holding on to the railing, one step at a time, with your supervision.