Generations of kids have grown up bouncing on backyard trampolines. And with the new popularity of trampoline parks, even more are getting into the game.

But is this a safe way for kids to move their bodies and have fun? There is a lot to consider before letting your kid head out to bounce with the neighborhood kids or attend a birthday party at a trampoline park.

Why are pediatricians concerned about trampolines?

More than 800,000 children got hurt on trampolines between 2009 and 2018, research shows. While bumps and bruises are super-common injuries from trampolines, we often see kids suffer broken bones or sprains as a result of falls on the mat or off the trampoline.

It is easy to assume that these injuries are not a big deal. After all, most sprains or broken bones heal, right? But trampolines pose incredibly high risks for serious injuries.

Examples of serious trampoline injuries include breaks to bones or injuries to ligaments that require surgery, paralysis, and even life-threatening injuries. And even broken bones can leave kids with lasting effects including the potential for nerve damage.

These facts explain why the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends keeping kids away from trampolines, except in settings with professional coaches and specialized equipment.

Many kids who get hurt on trampolines only suffer small scrapes, bruises, or cuts. But of the 110,000 or so emergency room visits linked with trampoline accidents in the U.S. each year, thousands involve serious damage to a child's arms, legs, collarbone, back, or neck.

Concussions are another common injury from collisions on trampolines. These are brain injuries that can cause kids to suffer headaches, dizziness, nausea, and other symptoms. Concussions can also affect their sleep, thinking, and school performance.

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As the school year begins, every family wants their children to be healthy, active, and ready to learn.

To prepare children and teens to be at their best – physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally – the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends regular visits with the pediatrician, as well as immunizations that help keep all family members healthy.

As school attendance plays a huge role in the development of children and teens, families can partner with pediatricians and schools to help students thrive and succeed.

The AAP offers 10 tips on giving children their best chances for success this school year.

More from CafeMom: Printable Back-to-School Morning Visual Schedule for Kids

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Byline: Hunter Boyce, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, (TNS)

More than a quarter of parents find it a challenge to get their children to sleep, according to a new poll. Some of the problems can be explained by poor sleep hygiene, which involves a child’s environment and nighttime habits.

According to the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health, which surveyed a national sample of parents of children 1-6 years old, 27% of respondents said they have trouble getting their kids to sleep. Those parents were found to be less likely to have bedtime routines, more likely to leave the TV on, and more likely to stay in their child’s room until they fell asleep.

But there are other major factors at play, too.

“Our report reinforces the common struggle of getting young children to sleep,” Mott Poll co-director Sarah Clark, M.P.H., said in a news release.

“When this transition to bedtime becomes a nightly conflict, some parents may fall into habits that work in the moment but could set them up for more sleep issues down the road,” Clark continued. “Establishing a consistent bedtime routine is crucial. When children don’t get enough rest, it can impact their physical development, emotional regulation, and behavior.”

According to the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, newborns require 14-17 hours of sleep daily. Infants require 12-16 hours of sleep, toddlers require 11-14 hours, and preschoolers need 10-13 hours. Children, however, face challenges that can make those recommended totals hard to come by.

The Sleep Foundation said nearly half of kids experience sleep issues at some point during childhood. Insomnia, one of the most common sleep disorders, affects 20% to 30%, while 1% to 5% are affected by obstructive sleep apnea. Approximately 5% of children sleepwalk, 10% to 17% snore, and around 30% experience night terrors.

Not getting enough sleep, according to the CDC, can lead to obesity, Type 2 diabetes, poor mental health, and other health issues. They also are more likely to have attention and behavior issues.

A major obstacle for young children is anxiety, which over a third of parents surveyed said their children suffer from.

“Many young children go through stages when they become scared of the dark or worry that something bad might happen, causing them to delay bedtime or become distressed by parents leaving the room,” Clark said. “Bad dreams or being awakened in the middle of the night can also disrupt sleep.

“Although this is a normal part of a child’s development, it can be frustrating when parents already feel tired themselves at the end of the day. Parents should find a balance between offering reassurance and comfort while maintaining some boundaries that help ensure everyone — both kids and adults — get adequate sleep.”

To improve a child’s sleep, University of Michigan Health suggested ensuring children have their own bed in a quiet room. They should avoid using sleep aids, such as melatonin, unless prescribed by a doctor. While parents should offer comfort to kids experiencing anxiety, they should also enforce boundaries by not remaining in the room when the child cannot sleep.

Perhaps most important, enforce a regular bedtime routine.

“A predictable bedtime routine provides a sense of security and comfort and signals to the child that it’s time to slow down,” Clark said.

“Knowing what to expect next can reduce anxiety and help children feel safe and relaxed,” Clark added. “Having this dedicated time with parents also promotes bonding and emotional connection, creating positive associations with bedtime.”

©2024 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Visit at ajc.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Social media is an integral part of our lives and as a result, parents have had to turn to parental controls to help navigate the complexity of the online world. To protect children from the potential risks and hazards of the digital age, social media parental controls are now more important than ever. Here are various types of social media parental controls that empower parents to provide a safer online space for their children.

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In a world where everything from setting up playdates with mom groups to keeping up with your kids’ school assignments, everything is done via social media. And in today’s digital age, since our kids are online regularly, ensuring their safety should be our top priority. The likelihood that our kids will come across harmful content online or be exposed to threats or cyberbullying is significant. Here are some tips and strategies to help caregivers monitor social media usage to ensure a safer digital environment for our children.

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Many parents balk at the notion that they could ever forget their child in the backseat of a car, but research indicates that Forgotten Baby Syndrome (FBS) can happen to anyone. It occurs when caregivers arrive at their destination and are supposed to drop the child off at daycare or school but continue with their day, oblivious to the fact that the child is strapped into a car seat in the backseat. Here’s information on how to prevent leaving a child in a hot car and what to know if a kid is locked in a hot car.

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If your child keeps begging to sit up front every time you get in the car, you may be wondering when you can safely let your kids sit in the front seat. Long gone are the days of calling ‘shotgun’. A rite of passage for many, family car rides would often pit brother against sister for the coveted spot in the passenger seat. As the saying goes though, when you know better, you do better. The following guidelines will help you figure out how old your child should be before they can sit in the front seat.

Laura Sampson, a mom of adult children, remembers the rules being much more lax when her kids were small. “My oldest son started riding in the front when he was just 6 years old,” she told Mom.com. “As far I know, there weren’t restrictions on when it was safe to ride in the front seat way back then. With my two younger sons, I knew better, and followed the guidelines.”

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The idea of the mother-as-martyr is one of those especially pernicious stereotypes — one whose standards are impossible to meet, yet also impossible to shake off.

The post Don’t Judge, But My Kids Aren’t Allowed to Touch My Plate appeared first on Mom.com.

America’s BBQ-friendly Fourth of July holiday is synonymous with pool parties, red, white, and blue flags, and those July 4th Old Navy t-shirts so many toddlers and adults alike seem to sport. If you’re spending the holiday making s’mores with the neighbors and tossing burgers on the grill, remember this: Be extra careful when it comes to pool safety, fireworks, and sparklers. Before you roll your eyes and think, “This mom is no fun,” (I am, I promise) know this: Doctors are warning parents that although sparklers may seem harmless or innocent — they can pose a safety risk to kids.

More from Mom.com: 19 Fireworks Safety Tips

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My oldest child was a typical first born — and still is. As a toddler, she was the epitome of compliant. We never used baby gates with her. We’d simply tell her to stay in her bed until we came in to get her in the morning. We’d stroll into her room, open the blinds to the let the sun in, and there she would be, perched in her bed and reading her board books. Parenting is so easy, we mistakenly thought. (I can hear you laugh. I promise you, we came around to reality.)

Now we have four children, and we got a real wake-up call (pun-intended) when one of our children never slept. When I say never, I mean never. No amount of changing up the nap schedule — or taking naps away completely — helped. As the years went on, we tried every trick the internet and other parents, even several doctors, offered us.

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