Playground PSA
Apr 8, 2015 17:34:18 GMT -5
Post by PurpleIris on Apr 8, 2015 17:34:18 GMT -5
well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/23/a-surprising-risk-for-toddlers-at-playground-slides/?_r=0
I know that this is a ways off for our June babes but this article just popped up again in my FB and reminded me. It's something I never saw in the baby books, and I had no idea until it happened to us.
My son was almost 2 and we were at Disney World. There was a big slide that he wanted to go down, but he wanted me to go with him. NBD, we've done it before. On the way down his foot got caught and the rubber on his shoe caused his leg to twist back. Because I was behind him, he couldn't correct it the way he would have if he was alone. When we got to the bottom he was crying and wouldn't put any weight on his leg. When he wouldn't stop crying we realized something was really wrong. Got to the ER - broken tibia. (And broken heart for me, having caused it). Naturally a week later the article I linked to above came out about this very thing, and I've met several other parents who have had it happen.
I'm now that crazy lady at the playground who tells strangers about what happened when I see them going down the slide with their child. Thankfully my son has no lasting damage; he was in a cast for 6 weeks and then a walking boot but he made a full recovery. Please, please PLEASE never go down the slide behind your child - you think you're keeping them safe, but the safest way for them to go down a slide is on their own.
<end crazy playground mom lecture>
I know that this is a ways off for our June babes but this article just popped up again in my FB and reminded me. It's something I never saw in the baby books, and I had no idea until it happened to us.
My son was almost 2 and we were at Disney World. There was a big slide that he wanted to go down, but he wanted me to go with him. NBD, we've done it before. On the way down his foot got caught and the rubber on his shoe caused his leg to twist back. Because I was behind him, he couldn't correct it the way he would have if he was alone. When we got to the bottom he was crying and wouldn't put any weight on his leg. When he wouldn't stop crying we realized something was really wrong. Got to the ER - broken tibia. (And broken heart for me, having caused it). Naturally a week later the article I linked to above came out about this very thing, and I've met several other parents who have had it happen.
I'm now that crazy lady at the playground who tells strangers about what happened when I see them going down the slide with their child. Thankfully my son has no lasting damage; he was in a cast for 6 weeks and then a walking boot but he made a full recovery. Please, please PLEASE never go down the slide behind your child - you think you're keeping them safe, but the safest way for them to go down a slide is on their own.
<end crazy playground mom lecture>
