Study finds more kids getting hurt in bounce houses

If you have a kid, chances are they've been in one. Those inflatable bounce houses you find at county fairs or backyard birthday parties.

But there's a troubling new study that shows more kids are getting hurt in them.

They've become so popular kids can now either go to a growing number of inflatable fun parks or, in many places, companies will bring inflatable bouncers straight to you.

Kids love them, but because of a major jump in injuries, some doctor's don't.

Dr. Gary Smith, with Nationwide Children's Hospital says, "Each day in this country more than 30 children are rushed to a hospital emergency department for an injury associated with an inflatable bouncer. That's a child about every 45 minutes."

Dr. Smith led the first national study of injuries associated with inflatable bouncers and found between 1990 and 2010 nearly 65-thousand children were treated in emergency departments for injuries.

One out of four for broken bones.

Since 1995 injuries have shot up 15- fold, and continue to rise.

Dr. Smith says, "In fact, there was a doubling of injuries in recent years between 2008 and 2010. That is an epidemic by any definition."

Cassie Stapleton was one of those injured. Just before she and her dad went down an inflatable slide he took this photo. Moments later, he took his little girl to the hospital.

Cassie’s dad Preston says, "We'd gone down that slide 5, 6 or 7 times same way, done the same thing. It's just this particular time we lost our balance and rolled over a little bit and she broke her arm."

Dr. Smith says that's proof no matter how careful parents try to be, it's often not enough and something has to change.

"Because of the alarming, rapid rise in the number of injuries associated with inflatable bouncers, national safety guidelines must be developed. It's time that we take action to help prevent these injuries."