OT--Please check bed rails....

[mickeymaker2003]

I used to teach kids with multiple disabilities. Tonight I attended a visitation for one of my former students (who would have turned 16 years old on Saturday). He got stuck in his bed rails and suffocated. If your child (or an adult) has rails on their bed, please check to make sure they can't get caught in them.

 

[SueM in MN]

Thanks for the information and and the reminder to check.

The hospital system that I work for recently replaced all the mattresses on our beds. The reason was that the bedrails don't fit tight up to the mattress, making a situation where someone can slip between the bedrail and the mattress as your former student did.
Here's a link to an article about the problem and I hope anyone using a hospital-type bed will check it out.

I'm going to move this to disABILITIES Community Board, where it will be more on topic and will hopefully get noticed more.

 

[mechurchlady]

My mother has a rail on the far side of the bed, against the wall. This is very important information as I would never have thought about the dangers. I have placed boards between the wheels and the wall so that the bed cannot accidentally slam up against the wall and smash her fingers between the railing and the wall. Brakes work but when a person leans against a bed, during earthquakes, or when getting into bed a person can still move the bed enough to pinch or break fingers.

Hugs and thank you both for the info and reminders. I will later on be under the bed dusting and checking the boards.