As a personal injury attorney in Wichita, Kansas, I understand the importance of keeping family safe.

Surprisingly, many injury cases involving children have to do with what may seem like harmless entertainment.

Bounce houses are popular, inflatable entertainment often seen at church picnics, county and mall fairs, and birthday parties.

According to an article from CNN, a pediatric emergency physician in Columbus, Ohio noticed a spike in injuries from bounce houses. He launched a nationwide study to see just how many of these injuries have occurred across the U.S.

His findings are quite shocking. From 1995 to 2010, the number of inflatable bouncer-related injuries rose 1,500 percent. In 2010 alone, an average of thirty-one children were treated in American emergency departments each day.

Almost sixty-five thousand children were treated in U.S. emergency rooms over a twenty-year period, over half of them between six and twelve years old.

Unlike trampolines, which have national safety guidelines, there are no regulations on bounce houses.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, bounce houses fall under an organization called ASTM International, which develops voluntary safety standards. This organization says it is working on standards for what it refers to as “constant air inflatable play devices.”

Bounce houses are still fun for children, though there is risk involved. If you’re a parent, be cautious when using these devices, closely monitor your child’s play, and make sure they aren’t engaging in actions (flips, horseplay) that could injure them or other kids. One child in a bounce house at a time is obviously the safest.