Bunk and Loft Bed Dangers

Hi Everyone, I wish I had an encouraging tale to tell about lofted beds, but sadly my son rolled out of a 7-foot lofted bed in January of 2015 and almost died from a brain injury and stroke that required brain surgery. He spent 10 weeks in a coma and has spent the last 16 months of his life learning EVERYTHING all over again (swallowing, talking, eating, walking, using the bathroom…everything). Please consider using a safety rail on your bed!

http://news.shepherd.org/en-us/brain-injury-leads-to-advocacy/

http://www.ajc.com/news/lifestyles/too-cool-for-a-bed-rail-dont-fall-for-that-tech-st/nq6DC/

http://specials.myajc.com/superman/

OMG Thank you for sharing your story!

I would also share this in the Parents subforum.

OMG, thanks for posting. My prayers for your son. My daughter just finished a school year in a high bunk bed with no ladder or railing and while the posdibility of falling did cross my mind, nothing was done about it. Making me glad she is coming down to earth in next year’s dorm room.

Thank you so much for posting! Would you do me a favor and share my links with your friends who have college students? Do you mind me asking which school has the high bunks with no rails?

Thanks, I will do that! The more exposure this gets, the better~

Oh my gosh, RADRailMom! I’m so sorry for your son’s accident and the tough time your family has been through this year. Thank you for your strength and for all you are doing to keep other kids safe, and best of luck to your son as he returns to campus!

I am so sorry. I am always nervous about lofted beds for my kids. This is timely given that move-ins are coming up. My mom was a college roommate of Alana Shepard, who founded the Shepard Center (first article) after her son had an accident – glad to see that they are involved in promoting this safety issue, too.

My son was in-patient there for 4-1/2 months, 2-1/2 of those in a coma. We are so blessed to have this amazing facility in our hometown. Please spread the word on rails!!

I am so sorry for what you went through. I was in the top of a bunk bed my freshman year and honestly I can’t remember if it had a rail or not. I think it did but I wouldn’t swear to it. Thank you for your advocacy. I hope the fraternity retrofitted all of its chapters and mandated rails for future purchases.

I am so sorry for all your family has gone through and will continue to go through.

I am nervous about lofts for a different reason. When I was in school kids/parents lofted their own beds. One kid put his next to the window and somehow ended up rolling out the window to his death.

At at least one school my daughter is interested in, the maintenance staff only will loft a bed upon request. That doesn’t negate a fall onto the floor, though. Thank you for mentioning that as something to consider.

I am so sorry that your son has to go through this. My son lofts his bed and I never even thought about being it dangerous. Thank you for posting.

The article reviewed here on CC a year or so back on the danger of fraternities also contains a similar story. A freshman girl at the U of Idaho was in a bunk bed on a 3rd floor sleeping porch (it’s implied she was inebriated and making out with a guy), rolled over and plunged through a window onto a concrete porch. She had severe brain damage as a result. I saw videos of her someplace and she, too, was relearning how to do everything (speak, walk, swim, etc.). Unlike the OP’s son, this young woman I don’t think will ever be “whole” again. Here’s the link – you have to go a way down to get to this part of the story.

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/03/the-dark-power-of-fraternities/357580/

Fraternities are not all the same. Not by a longshot. Let me say right now that my son is part of an amazing fraternity that has been extremely supportive to our son and our family throughout this ordeal. Let me also clarify that my son was sober. Let me add that this new fraternity house was immediately retrofitted with substantial rails on every bed in the house. I hope that other new construction will follow suit as lofted beds without a safety rail is literally an accident waiting to happen.

I am so glad to hear that they immediately retrofitted the house, RADRailMom. I agree all fraternities are very different. When I was following one of your links, I actually came across some sorority policy where you could request a rail and if you didn’t, you were asked to sign a waiver saying that you would not hold them liable for injury. That’s very sad to me. It should be mandatory, IMO. In this day and age, it really does surprise me that liability insurers don’t require dorms and / or Greek houses to have these rails! Seems a basic safety element, a la sprinklers and fire alarms.

RADRailMom - I just joined my sorority’s house corporation board; I’ve had a few meetings so far and have another this week. I think there are only two sets of bunk beds in the house these days, but I haven’t been in all the rooms recently (the house sleeps ~ 50). I will definitely make it a point to see what the policy is on having rails, and also bring it to our national’s attention to see what their policy is. Thank you for this!!

RADRailMom - I’m so sorry for what you, your son and family have had to go through. Thank you for bringing this to light.

Question: Most lofted beds I’ve seen are not fully lofted (maybe about 3 feet?) At what height is it recommended that rails should be in place?

I KNOW! Believe me, legislation is one of my MAJOR goals with this foundation!

Claremont Mom, I would say go with your gut. I think those lower beds with a carpeted floor may be all right. Then again, you can still break an arm or get a concussion falling on anything. I think 36" is what the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests.

Research on injuries due bunk beds is sparse; the most recent published study appears to be from 2008:
http://www.nationwidechildrens.org/cirp-bunk-bed-safety
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18519473?ordinalpos=15&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum