Study: Bounce house injuries on rise

AUSTIN (KXAN) - A new study in the journal "Pediatrics" finds more children are getting injured in those increasingly popular inflatable bounce houses.

More than 30 children each day across the United States are visiting emergency rooms with injuries from bounce houses, according to the study.

But business owners in Austin said the increase in injuries could be due to a number of factors, including the increasing popularity of the inflatable bounce houses at backyard parties and festivals.

"Quite frankly, it's not shocking to me," said Jason Magdalena, who owns Bounce Around Austin , a company that rents out bounce houses. "The industry is growing rapidly and so it needs to be regulated more."

Magdalena's company is certified by the state, meaning they comply with requirements set forth by the Texas Department of Insurance , which regulates the industry.

Companies who own the equipment must be inspected once each year and carry proper insurance. They are also required to pay $40 each year for each piece of equipment they own, but beyond that, there are no additional safety regulations.

Magdalena said his company puts safety first.

"We don't allow any installations that we don't install," he said. "Some of the companies will allow pick-ups or customer installations. That's something we have chosen not to do. We just feel like it allows for a safer environment."

Austin also has several indoor bounce house playgrounds who are held to the same standards.

Lynelle Sylliaasen owns Loco Motion along with her husband and said she was disappointed by the results of the "Pediatrics" study because safety for them is such a priority.

• Read the full study.

"It's probably happening because its become a lot more popular," said Sylliaasen. "People are getting them for their backyard for their kids to play on. It's all about safety and supervising the kids. We have floor attendants that walk around and although we're parent supervised we provide the floor attendants to watch the kids."

In Texas, the Texas Inflatable Operations Association keeps track of which companies are in compliance with state rules.

The Child Injury Prevention Alliance also provides guidelines to keep children safe in bounce houses. Experts say manufacturers and doctors need to get together and figure out a better way to design these houses, to keep kids safer.