Tube Slides Are Popular But Not Safe for Children, Experts Warn

Parents whose kids may enjoy using the popular tube slides in playgrounds, parks, and schools are advised to be aware of its potential risks. As much as these play facilities look fun and exciting, there have been some reported injuries, especially among younger kids.

According to Medical Express, a 4-year-old girl from Shoalhaven in Australia broke her legs after playing on the tube slides with her father. They were apparently "riding in tandem" when they hit a spot, and she fell on her back, but her legs flew in the air, and her sandals got caught in the roof of the slides.

The girl's mother posted the warning on social media and was deluged with surprising accounts of other injuries. One mom said that her 11-year-old child had to get surgery for a facial fracture and dental surgery to repair a tooth that dislodged from the socket. A parent of a 5-year-old boy also relayed that her son broke his tailbone when he was sliding down the bottom of the slide.

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What Makes Tube Slides Dangerous

These tube slides have been designed with a long stretch that allows the kids to slide faster and enjoy their experience. The speed of sliding down will depend on the weight and size of the child. Over time, however, the slide's quality changes, rendering the surface to be more slippery.

Some kids try to brake themselves as they slide down. However, instead of slowing down, the children soon realize their pace becomes harder to control. Thus, attempting to brake can lead to unexpected injury, especially around the ankles and knees. If they manage to slow down, the children could also shoot out of the slide with such force.

A study published in the journal Injury Epidemiology cites that tandem riding, which was what the daughter and father did in Shoalhaven, where the child sits on the adult's lap as they slide, may be 50 times more likely to cause an injury. There were no signs about the risks of tandem riding in that Shoalhaven playground.

In 2016, a giant tube slide center in the U.S. was forced to shut down after just months of opening because of back-to-back injuries. In 2018, a playground in Sydney had to dismantle and then remove its tube slides because many kids also broke their bones.

Getting the Word Out

New York mom Heather Clare has been getting the word out on the dangers of tube slides. In 2015, her daughter, Meadow, spent some time at the hospital after breaking two bones in her "lower right leg" when they went tandem riding, per WebMD. 

Meadow's foot got caught on the tube slides and was bent at an unnatural angle. Heather did not realize how bad it was until they were on the edge of the slide and her daughter was crying in pain. According to the mom, she decided to go tandem riding with Meadow because she thought this was safer than letting her do it alone on the slide.

The hardest part about this ordeal was knowing that it was an accident that she could have prevented. Heather admitted that she was filled with mom guilt, but she was floored when the doctors who attended to her daughter said they see this type of accident at least three or five times a week in the emergency room.

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