Bouncy castle accidents soar

They may be a hit at birthday parties, but inflatable bouncy castles can be dangerous, with the number of injuries soaring, a US study found.

Thirty US children a day are treated in emergency rooms for broken bones, sprains, cuts and concussions from accidents. Most involve children falling inside or out of the inflated playthings, and when children collide with others.

The number of those under 17 who got emergency-room treatment for such injuries has climbed along with the popularity of bouncy castles — from fewer than 1,000 in 1995 to nearly 11,000 in 2010. That’s a 15-fold increase, and a doubling just since 2008.