Guest blogger pediatrician Dr. Gwenn says bunk beds often send kids straight to the emergency room.

To bunk or not to bunk the kids--that is the question many parents ponder when expanding their families or trying to make the most of small spaces. Before you redesign your child's room with a bunk corner, there's a new study from Ohio State in this month's Pediatrics you need to know about.

In the study period from 1990-2005, 572,580 kids under 21 were treated in emergency rooms for bunk bed-related injuries. Half the kids were under 6 years of age and the other major group injured were college-age young adults. In both groups, most of the injuries were in males. The majored of injuries were minor lacerations, bumps and bruises and broken bones, although a few children were severely injured and hospitalized. 72% of the injuries were from falls. 25% of the injuries were in the head and neck area.

College life has so many variables, it is difficult to know what that age group had such a high injury rate. That will need to be looked at more. As for kids under 6, development, size and strength are likely to blame. Negotiating that ladder in the dark while half asleep is no easy task. Even older kids have trouble with this sometimes.

So, what should you do if you have bunk beds in your house? First, consider taking down the top bunk and putting it on the ground if the bed allows that option. Second, be sure you are following current CPSC guidelines: guardrails, proper fitting mattresses, night lights, reviewing the proper use of the bunk beds with your kids, and never allowing kids younger than 6 to sleep in the top bunk.

The data is not exaggerating the risk of injury to your children so you'd be wise to heed its warnings. The alternative could just be a 3am ER visit.

For more from Dr. Gwenn, click here.