The Best Bed Rails for Children

When purchasing a bed for your children it is imperative that you take in consideration all hazardous potentials, such as bed rails that can entrap your child. Furthermore, keep in mind that children shouldn't sleep in a top bunk unless they are at least 6 years old.

Requirements

• A toddler bed should have bed rails that are typically 2 inches above the top of the mattress surface, according to Consumerreports.org. The reason for the rail is to prevent a child from falling out of bed, to provide security and to remind him when he is are making contact with the railing that he is getting close to the edge of the bed. The railings serves as a reminder to scoot over. Portable rails are not recommended. Corner posts should not be any higher than 3/16th inch above the upper rail of the bed.

Bunk Beds

• Upper bunk beds must have a rail on each side. If the lower bunk bed is more than 30 inches above the floor it also requires a bed rail. The guardrail that is situated on the side of the bed next to the wall (which is the side that is opposite to the ladder) must run from one end of the bed to the other with no breaks. If the guardrail doesn't attach to the end of the bed, the gap that is left cannot be any bigger than 0.22 inches. A large gap allows children to get stuck and possibly trapped or suffocated.

Further Considerations

• The guardrail that is situated on the side of the bed that is not against the wall is not required to run the length of the bed; however, the space between the end of the guardrail and the end of the bed shouldn't be any bigger than 15 inches.

Installation and Testing

• It is important that guardrails are firmly attached to the bed, using fasteners. The top of the guardrail should be at least 5 inches above the top of the mattress. When you remove the mattress from the top bunk, the space left between the bottom of the guardrail and the top of the mattress foundation must not be big enough to allow a wedge block to pass through. A wedge block is used to determine whether a bunk bed poses a neck entrapment risk. The wedge is inserted into an opening to see whether the opening is big enough to allow entrapment. If there are openings on either end of the upper bunk bed that are above the mattress foundation and through which the wedge block can pass freely, it poses a risk.

Size of Bed

• The railing must fit the size of the bed that your child is sleeping in. If it doesn't, the railing can slip. A bed rail that attaches to the top of the mattress frame is the safest for your toddler, according to Mychildsafety.net. A railing that is attached along the sides of the mattress frame aren't the best for your child because the child can get trapped between the mattress and the rails. Do not purchase rails that have mesh attachments.

What to Avoid

• The top of each upper bunk should be 5 inches above the top mattress for a minimum of half the distance between the posts on each side. Do not purchase a bunk bed that has sharp edges or points. Get a copy of the Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Bunk Beds before using a bunk bed. This pamphlet explains all bunk bed requirements, what design features you should look for or avoid and how an efficient bunk bed should perform to avoid posing dangers to your child.