Boy nearly smothers at school carnival

[proud2BlibKansan]

A 6-year-old boy nearly suffocated at a school carnival Thursday in Kansas City after becoming lodged between two pieces of an inflatable obstacle course.

After being pulled free, the Lakewood Elementary School kindergartner received cardiopulmonary resuscitation from Clay County sheriff’s officials, who were at the carnival staffing a safety identification booth.

The boy began to breathe on his own, but his condition worsened on an ambulance ride to Children’s Mercy Hospital, police said, and he had to be ventilated upon arrival.

On Friday, the principal of Lakewood, Suzanne Baker, sent a letter home to parents saying the boy, whose name was not released, had shown some improvement but remained hospitalized.

more . . . http://www.kansascity.com/2010/05/14/1946941_boy-nearly-smothers-at-school.html?storylink=omni_popular

[Happyhippychick]

1. My friend's daughter got trapped in one of those inflatable obstacle courses last summer.

It was horrible. She could breathe fine but she was stuck and screaming, no one could hear her. It was very frightening for her.

I thought it was a fluke until I saw this story.

[Liberal_in_LA]

2. scary!

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. They are scary

I've never trusted them.

[fleabert]

3. inflatables are the most dangerous type of amusement 'ride' IMHO.

http://www.rideaccidents.com/inflatables.html

http://blogs.consumerreports.org/safety/2009/07/inflatable-slides-toys-accidents-cpsc-.html

unregulated, rented out over and over again, installation and inspection usually left to the consumer instead of a professional. Not good.

if you rent one for a kids party, please check the manual and the cpsc for any recalls first. tie it down, anchor it to something permanent, inflate it properly, and check the weather throughout the day for wind advisories. NEVER leave kids unattended playing in or around these things.