New research says mechanical bull riding injuries are reaching alarming heights among children in Southern California.
Mechanical bull riding is immortalized in movies and is part of the fabric at the Saddle Ranch Chop House on the Sunset Strip.
"It's a rush for sure to get up on the mechanical bull," said Jeff Cochi, the restaurant's general manager.
But even at its very slowest setting, it can still be challenging.
"It could potentially be risky if you don't follow the instructions of the person who's operating the bull," said Cochi.
With an expert, experienced operator and a mattress on the ground, the restaurant offers a controlled environment. But when people rent mechanical bulls for parties, that's when the trouble starts.
"It changed our lives," said Hamza Rehman. His 4-year old daughter, Zara, was injured by a mechanical bull at a children's birthday party. It's still painful for him to recall how he saw her fall off and what happened when she stood up.
"The bull comes full speed swinging back and hits her on the back of her head on the left side," he said. When Rehman picked Zara off the ground, she was in shock.
"One eye was looking at me, the other eye was stuck on the left side," Rehman said.
"Those are neurologic findings of an intracranial bleed," said Dr. Martin G. Rosenthal, assistant professor of surgery at Loma Linda University Children's Hospital.
Doctors diagnosed Zara with a bilateral brain bleed, hydrocephalus and skull fractures. In a new study, Loma Linda University Children's Hospital researchers identified 35 cases in the Inland Empire over seven years. But they're certain this is an undercount.
The children had traumatic brain injuries, fractured skulls, facial injuries and extremity fractures -- some with long-term neurological consequences.
"They're happening in the home at a party in someone's backyard. We clearly know that we have a problem in Los Angeles County, Orange County, and here in San Bernardino and Riverside," Rosenthal said.
Renting mechanical bulls for kids' parties is becoming more and more popular. People can even buy these devices online.
"Mechanical bulls are not toys. They're not supposed to be for kids," said Rehman.
Rosenthal and Dr. Sina Asaadi, a research fellow and lead author of the study, are calling for enhanced safety measures and regulations
"Teaching the parents and vendors how to properly run the mechanical rules and also wearing the helmets. We need to have some sort of barriers around these mechanical bulls," said Asaadi.
"They're certainly not supposed to be for parties where you're having kids' birthdays," said Rehman.
It's been four months since his daughter's brain injury, but she still experiences headaches. Rehman hopes people will think of his daughter's story before they rent a mechanical bull.
"So this doesn't happen to other parents," he said. "And they don't have to live through the nightmare that we live through."