School playgrounds big source of injuries

Press, 1 June 1988, Page 9

School playgrounds big source of injuries

By

SARAH SANDS

Accidents in school playgrounds account for more than a quarter of severe injuries to children under 15, a research study has found. The research, • completed by Dr Dave Chalmers and Dr John Langley, of the Dunedin multi-disciplinary health and development research unit at Otago University, found that 28 per cent of severe injuries to children under 15 happened in the school playground. Children, aged between two .and IL were most commonly hurt in the playground, with injuries peaking at age seven. ;

Older children suffered more injuries at home, the research found. Jungle gyms were most frequently involved in injuries to children aged between five and 10. Trampolines and swings were also involved in severe injury cases. Research findings were based on figures from the National Health Statistics Centre covering injuries throughout New Zealand. Drs Chalmers and Langley estimated that at, the present rate of accidents, childhood injuries were costing the country' $1.9 million each year. • \ c v "This is in addition to the unnecessary pain and

suffering experienced by children." Drs Chalmers and Langley said that the implementation of safety standards for playground equipment, similar to standards in Britain, Australia, and the United States, could help to re-, duce the number of injuries to children in New Zealand. “The safe use of trampolines is not covered by the present New Zealand standard, and more attention is needed in the enforcement of safe impact surfaces. ■"Consideration should also be given to the Suitability and'' adaptation of jungle gym designs.”