By Dr. Rebbecca Olszak, General Booth Pediatrics

It’s a question nearly every parent faces at some point: Should I let my child go to a trampoline park?

While they certainly look fun and potentially safe with so much padding everywhere, many children still get injured at trampoline parks.

Trampolines, in general, pose a significant risk of injury to children. Nearly 100,000 emergency room visits nationwide in 2014 involved children who were injured while jumping on a trampoline, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Common injuries include sprains, broken bones, concussions, and head and neck injuries.

New research shows that while more injuries happen on backyard trampolines than at jump parks, the types of injuries that occur in trampoline parks are more severe. Both children and adults are more likely to have fractures or dislocations when playing at a jump park than if they had been jumping on a home trampoline, according to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.

Most trampoline injuries occur when there’s more than one person jumping on the trampoline. The smallest and youngest children – especially those who are 5 and younger – are often the ones most likely to be significantly injured, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Here are six key recommendations from the AAP:

• Don’t buy a trampoline for your backyard.
• If your child uses a trampoline in a structured sports training program, make sure there’s appropriate supervision, coaching, and safety measures in place.
• If you have a backyard trampoline, make sure your homeowners insurance covers trampoline injury-related claims. Do not allow anyone to use the trampoline without adult supervision.
• Don’t let more than one child on the trampoline at a time. Do not allow children to attempt flips or somersaults, which often cause cervical spine injuries.
• Be aware that jump parks may not have the same safety guidelines as those recommended by the AAP.

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Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters has been the region’s most trusted name in pediatric care for more than 50 years. As members of CHKD Health System, our pediatricians work closely with CHKD’s full range of pediatric specialists and surgeons. They also share a commitment to quality, excellence and child-centered care. With 18 practices in 29 locations throughout the region, a CHKD pediatrician is never far.