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"I invite you to send me your child health and
wellness related questions. One of the the most satisfying aspects
of being a pediatrician is answering parents' questions and concerns.
As a doctor, I feel that the more you know about your child's
health and wellness (in terms of illness, normal growth and development
and, importantly, prevention), the more comfortable you can be
with your kids! A new column is posted every Friday and appears
on this page. Unfortunately, I cannot give personal
replies but will answer as many questions as possible in my weekly
column. Click on the ASK DR.PAUL Library link at
the bottom of this page and you may find information on the topic
that interests you." - DR. PAUL
This Week's Column
Bunk Beds Can Be Dangerous
DEAR DR.PAUL: I am thinking of getting my children bunk beds. Is this safe?
DR.PAUL ANSWERS: Bunk beds on the surface seem like a neat, fun and
space-saving idea. However bunk beds have resulted in thousands of hospital visits
in children less than 15 years of age. Most injuries are minor resulting when children fall from the beds, although serious head injuries have occurred. For these reasons many experts recommend not using bunk beds at all. Aside from falls, there are several ways that children can become injured:
Guardrail spacing-On some beds, the space between the guardrail and mattress or the frame and mattress is large enough to allow a young child to slip through. Tragically, deaths have occurred when children became suspended by the head in these spaces and strangled.
Bunk bed without rails on both sides - Most bunk beds are used with one side located against a wall. Deaths have occurred when very young children rolled off the bed and became entrapped between the wall and the side of the bed not having a guardrail
Dislodgement of mattress foundation - The mattress foundation on some bunk beds merely rests on small ledges attached to the bedframe. They can dislodge or move, particularly if a child, underneath the bunk, pushes or kicks upwards on the mattress. Suffocation deaths have occurred when mattress foundations fell on children sleeping in the lower bunk.
Wrong mattress size - Bunk beds and mattresses come in two lengths; regular and extra
long(is 5 inches (127 mm) longer than regular). When a regular length mattress is used for an extra long bed, there can be a 5-inch opening between the mattress and headboard or footboard. Strangulation deaths have occurred when children fell through openings created between the mattress and headboard or footboard when a regular length mattress was used in an extra long bed frame.
Children under 6 years of age should not sleep in the upper bunk. For older children, here are some safety tips from Consumer Product Safety Commission:
Always use securely placed(screwed or bolted) guardrails on the upper bunk-on both sides
The space between bed frame and bottom of guard rails should be no more than 3-1/2 inches (89 mm)
Guardrails should extend at least 5 inches (127 mm) above the mattress
The ladder should be well secured to the bed frame so kids will not slip while climbing
Make sure that the mattress correctly fits the bed
Be sure crossties are under the mattress foundation of each bed and that they are secured in place
Teach children to use the ladder and not chairs or other pieces of furniture to climb into or out of the top bunk. Also, teach them that rough play is unsafe around and on beds and other furniture.
A night light may help children see the ladder during the night
If spacing between guard rails and bed frames is more than 3 1/2 inches (89 mm), nail or screw another rail to close the space
Keep guardrails in good repair and securely in place and replace loose or missing ladder rungs and loose or missing hardware immediately
For more "Ask DR. PAUL" answers, check out the extensive
Ask DR. PAUL Library
To ask DR. PAUL a question, e-mail him at askdrpaul@drpaul.com
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The information provided in this site is
designed to be an educational aid only. It is not intended to
replace the advice and care of your child's physician, nor is
it intended to be used for medical diagnosis or treatment. If
you suspect that your child has a medical condition, always
consult a physician.
© Autograph Communications Inc.,
All rights reserved
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