title: Bunk beds--a still underestimated risk for accidents in childhood?
abstract: A retrospective analysis of 218 bunk-bed accidents and a random sample survey with 991 family interviews were performed in order to establish guidelines for bunk-bed accident prevention. Falls from the top bed during sleep (35.1%) or while playing (34.4%) and falling off the ladder (23.2%) are the leading causes of bunk-bed accidents. Of the 218 children, 91 (41.7%) had sustained major injuries, including 3 polytrauma, 7 skull fractures, 44 cerebral concussions, 33 long bone fractures, 2 Lisfranc injuries, and 2 lacerations of the spleen. Of these accidents, 58.3% resulted in minor injuries with 18 fractures in other locations than the long bones or cranial vault, 89 contusions and sprains, 18 skin lacerations and 2 tooth fractures. A total of 23.8% of the accidents occurred in children under 3 years of age. The random sample survey demonstrated that in relation to age groups of children 30.8% (0%-45.8%) of families interviewed had been using bunk beds, with peaks at 3 years (29.8%), 7 years (36.5%) and 11 years (45.8%) of age. Of these bunk beds, 75.3% were equipped with side-rails, 57.3% had placed carpets alongside the bunk bed and 43.0% had used night lights.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is only one recommendation: no bunk beds!!!
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Surgery, University of Graz, Austria. johannes.mayr@kfunigraz.ac.at
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Mayr
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Seebacher
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lawrenz
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pesendorfer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berghold
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baradaran
mesh_terms: D000059:Accidents / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D001513:Beds; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors