KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The child with the trampoline in the backyard might be the most popular kid on the block, but many doctors say parents ought to keep their children off home trampolines. The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that nearly 10,000 emergency-room visits nationally last year were for trampoline-related injuries.

According to pediatrician Dr. Denise Dowd, who works in the emergency room at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, it's especially dangerous when there are many children jumping at once.

"You know, they crash into each other and they land on each other," as she described such accidents. "About three-quarters of all the injuries actually happen when there are many people on the mat at the same time."

Dowd said safety nets around the jumping surfaces don't help that much, because while they keep kids from falling off, they don't keep them from hurting themselves when they hit other children or fall in a way that breaks a bone.

She doesn't like to see any children using backyard trampolines, but she's especially concerned about what can happen to smaller children jumping in groups.

"The littler kids, smaller ones, are much more likely to get injuries than the bigger ones," the doctor said. "So if you think about it, a bigger kid's going to create a recoil in the mat that's a lot more, relative to the lighter kid that they're jumping with."

Dowd said children should never practice somersaults or flips on home trampolines because of the risk of paralysis from a broken neck.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission also recommends no flips, keeping children under the age of six off trampolines, and only allowing one child to jump at a time.

So what about those blow-up bouncy houses that are put up at block parties? Dowd said she sees a lot of children who get injured in those things too.

"I wouldn't put my kid in there if there's a whole ton of them in there," she said. "Head injuries are a big one. You put, like, a bunch of three-year-olds in there and they're bumping into each other, smashing their heads into each other."

The American Academy of Pediatrics is reaffirming its recommendation against home trampolines and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons recommends against using trampolines in the home environment, gym classes and outdoor parks.

More information is at goo.gl/bStgFO and at AAOS.org.




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Everybody loves to get something free and right now, kids aged 12-17 can get a fishing and hunting license at no cost from the Nevada Department of Wildlife.

The license is good for one year and normally sells for $15.

Bobby Jones, outdoor connection coordinator for the Nevada Department of Wildlife, said the free licenses are funded by donations to the Nevada Youth License Fund.

"This is actually the third year that the program's been active," Jones explained. "We keep it open as much as possible. We're just limited by the amount of donations that we have. Right now, we have almost 2,000 available and they go fast."

Youth can get a free license on the Nevada Department of Wildlife website or wherever the licenses are sold. Children under age 12 do not need a fishing license. The state said almost two-thirds of the kids who have taken advantage of the program in the past have never had a hunting or fishing license before.

Jones emphasized the program is designed to tempt kids to leave the digital world behind for a short time and enjoy some time outdoors. It could lead them to even consider a nature-based career like wildlife biology, forest management or outdoor education.

"Essentially what we're up against is a lot of kids are engaged in their phones and social media, TV," Jones pointed out. "They're constantly bombarded with things. We're trying to make it a little bit easier for them to enjoy the outdoors."

Some of the most popular fishing spots include Lahontan in the Fallon area, Wild Horse and South Fork in Eastern Nevada, and Lake Mead down south.


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The University of Nebraska is addressing a shortage of lawyers who represent the state's most vulnerable children, especially in rural areas.

The attorneys are being equipped to work with kids who have suffered through physical, emotional, or financial trauma - and are often living in poverty.

Of Nebraska's 5,500 licensed attorneys, only 7% of them practice in rural areas.

Michelle Paxton, director of the Nebraska Children's Justice and Legal Advocacy Center, said two thirds of child neglect and abuse cases originate outside the Lincoln and Omaha metro areas, in what she calls "rural legal deserts."

"We have twelve counties in Nebraska with zero attorneys living in those counties," said Paxton. "We have 22 with less than three."

Paxton said that there are too few qualified rural child justice attorneys, which means lawyers may drive hundreds of miles for juvenile cases, creating delays and court backlogs.

The University of Nebraska program will add lawyers trained to handle issues unique to children in low-income families.

Attorneys who work on juvenile court cases are getting the tailored knowledge they need, but Paxton added that the program is also creating an opportunity for those attorneys to network and get support from other lawyers in the field - who are often isolated.

"And so they don't often have another attorney doing this type of work that they can rely on for support and mentorship," said Paxton, "and our program provides that support and mentorship so that they are not only willing to continue working in juvenile court, increase their hours in juvenile court and increase their commitment. "

The advocacy center will also develop a case-tracking tool, enabling people to find an attorney online.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.



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Statistics show one in five children in Texas struggles with hunger.

Approximately 10,000 students a day are getting a nutritious meal through the Summer Food Service Program offered by the Houston Food Bank. The meals are distributed across the food bank's 18-county region.

Jourdan Stansberry, senior manager of education programs for Houston Food Bank, said they partner with summer camps, churches and other nonprofit organizations to serve the students. She added anyone who is not near a meal site can take advantage of their non-congregate option.

"Sites that are considered rural by the Texas Department of Agriculture," Stansberry explained. "It's a grab-and-go model where families can pick up the meals, It's like a five-day bundle of frozen meals, breakfast and snacks, so 10 meals all together. They're able to pick it up and take it home."

Locations of the meal sites in the Houston area and across Texas are available at the Department of Agriculture's Summer Meal Site Map. The meals are available to anyone 18 years old or younger or students with a disability, up to 21 years old.

The meals are distributed at more than 250 sites around the Houston area. Students do not have to register to take advantage of the meals. Stansbury emphasized it is a great way to ensure kids have access to fresh fruits and vegetables during the summer. She added the menus consist of more than just a sandwich and chips.

"One thing that I know has been pretty popular is our orange chicken with rice, and we also have broccoli, vegetable-medley side that goes along with that. We saw also chicken tikka masala," Stansbury outlined. "We try to expose them to different meals, not only healthwise but also culturally."

The Houston Food Bank expects to distribute around 800,000 meals this summer. The meal program runs through Aug. 8.


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