A team of urologists in Britain says there is evidence of an increase in crush injuries to little boys' penises, due to falling toilet seats.
Dr. Joe Philip of Leighton Hospital in Crewe wrote a letter of warning to the British Journal of Urology International.
Dr. Philip says he and other urologists at the hospital normally see one or two cases a year at most. However, they have treated 4 boys with similar injuries within the past few months. None of the cases are related.
The doctor suggests the trouble may be in a recent trend toward heavier, wooden toilet seats. Each of the little boys injured was trying to go to the bathroom, and had lifted the toilet seat, only to have it fall back down.
None of the boys will have permanent injuries. But they did need overnight hospital stays.
In his letter, the doctor suggests parents either install "soft fall" seats, or leave the seat up all the time until the boys have enough strength to hold the seat up on their own.
Although the doctor says it would be difficult to ensure, he suggests children should also be supervised each time they go to the bathroom.
