Tampa General Hospital

Bounce House Basics As the popularity of bounce houses has grown over the years, so have the incidents of injury. Try these tips, suggested by the American Academy of Pediatrics, to make sure the fun stays safe. • No stow-aways. Empty pockets of pens or toys, and take off any jewelry or eyeglasses — anything that can gouge or hurt if fallen on. • Balance the bounce. Avoid letting kids with significant size disparity in at the same time. Smaller bouncers may get trampled. • Forget the flips. Aside from the risk of neck injury, somersaults and flips can be collision hazards in the closed space of a bounce house. • Supervise the silliness. Make sure an adult is monitoring the play in the bounce house at all times — and enforcing the rules. One moment, Trey Smetana was a normal 15-year-old, athletic enough to play both football and perform flips and tumbling runs. All that changed instantly in a bounce house at a church camp, when Trey tried to do a double back flip and severely injured his spinal cord. Doctors aren't sure of his long-term prognosis. For now, Trey has limited movement in his arms but can't move below his waist. Trey was taken to Tampa General Hospital, where he marked a victory after his two-month stay. He graduated from the hospital's pediatric rehabilitation program and headed home to Ocala. His caregivers honored him with an informal ceremony, presenting him with a graduation certificate, a T-shirt and a cookie cake. They even sang the tune to "Pomp and Circumstance" for him. "I'm gonna come back soon," he told his family and caregivers. "I don't know when, but I am gonna come back soon, and I'm gonna come back walking." Sitting in a power wheelchair and wearing a cervical collar, Trey thanked his family and everyone who had cared for him during his stay. LESSONS OF CAUTION Trey and his family hope that his accident will inspire others to be more careful around bounce houses and trampolines. "Be more cautious," Trey says. "Don't try to take everything to the extreme. It's not as safe as you think it would be. Just because it's soft doesn't mean you can't get hurt." Paul Kornberg, MD, medical director of pediatric rehabilitation at Tampa General Hospital, echoed Trey's warning. "I'm not a big fan of trampolines and bounce houses and things like that," Dr. Kornberg says. "I hope people can learn these things are not without risk. They are not benign activities." Dr. Kornberg says Trey's injury is high on his spinal cord, at the fifth cervical vertebrae, which is located in his neck. "We hope for the best, but we have to prepare for the worst," Dr. Kornberg says. "Anything is possible. It is early enough that we are very hopeful." Dr. Kornberg applauded Trey's determination. "He's got a lot of faith and a lot of hope," Dr. Kornberg says. "Trey is a very strong young man and he's got a lot of hope for the future and support from his family." YOUNG COURAGE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TGH REHABILITATION SERVICES, VISIT 4HEALTHIER.ME/TGH-REHABILITATION. Norma Smetana kisses her 15-year-old son Trey as he graduates from inpatient rehabilitation at Tampa General Hospital, as his dad Doug, top left, sister Naylene, 11, and brother Ludwing, 21, stand by. After a Flip Gone Wrong, Boy Stays Hopeful, But Warns Other Kids 5 Winter 2018 / tgh.org

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