Doctors warn of bunk bed danger for young children

LONDON (Reuters) -- Kids love them and for families in cramped homes they are great space savers but British doctors warned on Tuesday that bunk beds are dangerous for young children.

A five-month study of 85 youngsters treated in the emergency room of the Royal Aberdeen children's hospital in Scotland for falls from beds, showed that over three-quarters were less than six-years old.

"In an attempt to make parents more aware of the risks it is recommended that these dangers should be brought to public attention," Dr Diana Macgregor said in a report in the journal Injury Prevention.

Most of the injuries were broken bones but the researchers said 16 percent of the children had to be admitted to hospital.

"These results show a higher incidence of significant injury than previously reported, and demonstrate the inadvisability of letting children under the age of six years sleep in upper bunks," said Macgregor.

Although there are already safety regulations about bunk beds in Britain, the researchers said parents may not be aware of them or are ignoring guidelines.

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