The summer vacation is coming to an end, and many parents want to take their kids to the amusement park for one last wild ride before it’s over.
Roller coasters, pirate ships, and log flumes are all thrilling rides that kids love, and many families have even scheduled a relaxing trip to the park during the National Day holiday.
But what seems like a “kids’ paradise” can actually be “hiding dangers,” and just a little carelessness can lead to unexpected “accidents”......
According to British media reports, a 4-year-old boy suffered a tear in an artery near his brain after riding a roller coaster, which led to a stroke.
After returning home, the boy couldn’t walk, showed signs of paralysis on the left side of his body, and also experienced vomiting, drooping on the left side of his face, and other symptoms.
He was quickly taken to the hospital, where scans revealed that an artery near his brain had been torn, and a blood clot blocked blood flow to the brain, causing the stroke.
After immediate medical treatment, his condition was brought under control, but to this day, the left side of the boy’s body remains stiff.
Similar incidents have also happened in China.
A 10-year-old boy named Xiao Ming went to a local park with his sister. After getting off the roller coaster, he began experiencing severe headaches, followed by vomiting, and then paralysis on one side of his body, eventually losing consciousness.
A CT scan at the hospital showed that Xiao Ming had suffered a hemorrhagic stroke due to a cerebral vascular malformation, with 30 milliliters of bleeding in the brain. He underwent a four-hour surgery before being out of danger.
Children under 14 should be cautious about riding roller coasters.
The Brain Injury Association of America believes that high-speed spinning rides like roller coasters may cause the brain to shift within the skull, which can be fatal.
Children’s neck muscles are not fully developed, making their heads and necks prone to jerking. Their necks are very fragile, and the strong forces experienced on roller coasters can cause their heads to swing violently, potentially tearing the carotid arteries and neck muscles.
Research data also show that even without obvious symptoms, amusement rides like roller coasters can indeed increase heart rate and blood pressure, raising the risk of heart attacks to some extent. A recent study even found that high speeds and sudden turns may damage the ears.
Kathy Foley, a consumer advocate on the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s advisory panel, recommends that all children under 14 carefully consider riding high-speed large amusement rides such as roller coasters.
In addition to the risky thrill rides in large amusement parks, what other seemingly less dangerous but still risky common play equipment in daily life require extra caution?
Swings
Safety focus: Prevent your child from being thrown out or knocked over by the swing.
Safety tips: Before swinging, remind your child to hold the swing ropes tightly, and to wait until the swing has completely stopped before getting off. For younger children, always choose a bucket-style swing and ensure the safety buckle is securely fastened. Also, teach your child to walk around swings rather than passing too close, as they could be hit by a moving swing.
Slides
Safety focus: Don’t climb up the slide from the bottom, and move away from the slide exit quickly after sliding down.
Safety tips: If your child is very young, help them climb up and then go to the bottom of the slide to wait for them. For older kids, tell them to wait their turn if someone is in front of them—no pushing—and to leave the slide area immediately after sliding down. Do not climb back up the slide from the bottom.
Inflatable castles
Safety focus: Choose certified children’s play areas and do a thorough safety inspection. Keep a close eye on your child while they’re playing.
Safety tips: A 3-year-old girl was playing in an inflatable castle outside a supermarket when a sudden gust of wind lifted the entire structure along with the girl into the air. She fell from several meters high and died from her injuries.
Inflatable castles are often placed outdoors for long periods, exposed to wind, sun, and rain, and some parts may develop cracks or broken buckles that operators fail to replace. These structures can easily be blown away by strong winds, throwing children off and causing injury or death. Additionally, because they are inflatable, the “walls” around the castle are soft, and children who climb or jump on them may easily fall off. Parents must be very careful.
Bouncy rides (like coin-operated kiddie rides)
Safety focus: Always accompany your child when they’re riding a bouncy ride. Avoid using old or damaged rides.
Safety advice: A 3-year-old boy named Kǎikǎi suffered a finger fracture after his hand got caught in the left front wheel of a rocking ride. Similarly, an 8-year-old boy was fatally injured when he became trapped between the body and base of a rocking ride, which crushed his chest and back.
Currently, most rocking rides on the market are "three-no products" (no production license, no quality certificate, and no factory name). Prolonged outdoor exposure can lead to issues such as cracked plastic shells and aging wires, posing dangers like "hand pinching" and "electric shock" to children. Therefore, parents should pay extra attention and accompany their children at all times when they are on a rocking ride. After boarding, remind your child not to put their hands into any gaps in the machine to avoid getting pinched.