Doctors warn parents to watch kids on wheels

Last Updated: 2007-12-18 14:36:00 -0400 (Reuters Health)

By Anne Harding

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Parents thinking of giving their kids wheeled shoes this Christmas should be aware that these shoes are not everyday footwear -- and they are potentially dangerous, pediatricians warn.

"They're like skateboards, they're basically toys that children have to learn how to use properly," Dr. Arthur Benzick, a pediatrician at Baylor Regional Medical Center in Grapevine, Texas, told Reuters Health. In an interview, Benzick said he sees patients injured while using wheeled shoes at least once a month.

"Parents who give these as toys should stay close to their children the first few times that they use them to make sure that they don't injure themselves," he advised. "I don't think they should be given casually."

Benzick pointed out that one third of injuries occur during the first five times a child is using the shoes. Most commonly, the wrists or elbows are hurt, he said, but head injuries are also a serious risk. He urged parents to make sure children wear protective gear when using wheeled shoes, specifically wrist guards and helmets.

Children should be at least eight before they're allowed to use the shoes, Benzick stated, and the shoes should only be used on flat, smooth surfaces

"People just need to be very careful about using these as everyday wear because it's real tempting to (wear) these shoes in places where they're not designed to be used," Benzick said. "That's usually what's going to lead to the real serious injuries."