With summer in full swing, your child is probably running around during field days, laughing at birthday parties and enjoying fun-filled days in the sunshine.

However, there is a dangerous side effect to one popular party activity that every parent should know about.

It was just a fun summer day

Brenda Sanderson's two children were at a party last summer where the yard was filled with fun outside activities, one of which was a bouncy house. The kids weren't doing anything unusual in the bouncy house; they were just having a lot of what they thought was harmless fun.

Then, a couple of days later, Sanderson started to notice some weird looking sores on her 10-year-old son. They thought the marks were burns from the plastic in the bouncy house, but they decided to go to the doctor just to be safe.

The sores were growing

After a few days of the infection getting worse, the worried parents decided to go to the doctor. The sores were growing and oozing by this time, and the doctor confirmed that the ten-year-old had contracted a staph infection.

What's a staph infection?

According to Mayo Clinic, "Staph infections can turn deadly if the bacteria invade deeper into your body, entering your bloodstream, joints, bones, lungs or heart." The Mayo Clinic also suggests that you take your child to see your doctor if these symptoms are present:

• An area of red, irritated or painful skin

• Pus-filled blisters

• Fever

Bouncy houses aren't as "harmless" as they seem

You're probably wondering how such an infection could be transmitted by a bouncy house - and Fox 25 News did some investigating on the matter. They found that "The state does inspect bouncy houses, but more to make sure they are working properly and for safety rather than cleanliness."

The doctor who diagnosed the little boy said, "[The bouncy house] is like a wrestling mat. Staph infections come from a gym or something that's not being washed or cleansed properly will start to create bacteria."

Make sure you get all the information

If you're planning on renting a bouncy house any time soon, make sure you ask the company about their cleaning procedures. Make sure the equipment is cleaned after every use. If you're planning on buying one your own bouncy house, follow the care and cleaning instructions to avoid the spread of infection.

If your child has been in a bouncy house recently and starts to show any symptoms similar to these, take them to the doctor immediately. You could save their life.