In this undated photo released by Jason Wulf, Jake Wulf, 9, demonstrates his 'Privy¹ Prop²,' a foot-activated toilet seat lifter, at his home in Odebolt, Iowa. He says he invented the prop because his mother would get angry when he forgot to put the toilet seat down. Wulf showed off his invention this week at the 'Ellen DeGeneres Show.

One of the longest-running spousal debates may now be settled in favor of men and for the sake of little boys.

Leave the toilet seat up, some British doctors now say. The reason: a rising trend for heavy wooden and ornamental³ toilet seats to fall down onto the penises of unsuspecting toddlers.

Dr. Joe Philip and his colleagues of Leighton Hospital, Crewe, in England detail such penis-crush injuries in the December issue of the journal BJU International. The team reports on four boys between the ages of 2 and 4 who were admitted to hospitals with injuries serious enough to require an overnight stay.

The doctors say the injuries have implications for holiday travel and at-home toilet safety for parents with male toddlers.

"As Christmas approaches many families will be visiting relatives and friends and their recently toilet-trained toddlers will be keen to show how grown-up they are by going to the toilet on their own," Philip said. "It is important that parents check out the toilet seats in advance, not to mention the ones they have in their own homes, and accompany their children if necessary."

The team found that all four toddlers had been potty trained and were using the toilet on their own when the incidents occurred. Each had lifted the toilet seat, which fell back down and crushed his penis.

To keep toddlers safe during their journey in the bathroom, the doctors suggest the following tips:

Parents should consider using toilet seats that fall slowly and with reduced momentum⁴, which would reduce the risk and degree of injury.

Heavier toilet seats could be banned in houses with male infants.

Households with male infants should consider leaving the toilet seat up after use, even though it contradicts the social norm of putting it down.

Parents could educate their toddlers to hold the toilet seat up with one hand while urinating. During such a feat⁵, parents should keep an eye on toddlers until the toddler can do this by himself.

"As any parent knows, toilet training can be a difficult time with any toddler," Philip said. "We are concerned that the growing trend of heavy toilet seats poses a risk not only to their health, but to their confidence."

 夫妻间有关是否该掀起马桶座圈的长期论战也许要以男方的胜利而告终了，而这都是为了孩子着想。

英国一些医生日前建议人们用完马桶后掀起座圈，由于现在很多马桶座用很重的木材制成或装饰繁多，因其掉落而砸伤幼年男孩阴茎的事例越来越多。

英格兰克鲁市立顿医院的乔•菲利普医生及其同事在本月的《英国泌尿科期刊》上对此类损伤进行了详细阐述。研究人员在报告中阐述了四名年龄在2岁至4岁之间的男孩的受伤案例，这几个男孩因受伤严重而住院。

医生警告说，这应引起家有幼年男孩父母的重视，无论外出度假还是在家中，都要注意马桶座圈的安全。

菲利浦说：“随着圣诞节的临近，很多家庭会走亲访友，而刚受了上厕所训练的小男孩急切希望用自己独立去卫生间的实际行动来证明他们长大了。所以，无论在别人家还是在自己家，家长们都要提前检查马桶座圈是否已掀起，如果需要的话应陪孩子一起去卫生间。”

研究人员发现，入院的4名小男孩都受过如厕训练，而且他们受伤时都是自己在使用马桶。这几个男孩都因没掀好马桶圈致其掉落而砸伤了阴茎。

为保证年幼男孩的如厕安全，医生提出了如下建议：

家里最好选用下落速度较慢且有缓冲效果的马桶座圈，这可以降低受伤的风险和程度。

有年幼男孩的家庭应弃用过重的马桶座圈。

虽然按照常规，用毕马桶应放下座圈，但家里如有年幼男孩最好将其掀起。

家长应教会孩子小便时一只手扶住马桶座圈，同时在一旁照看，直到孩子可以独立使用马桶。

菲利普说：“家长都知道教孩子使用马桶不是件容易事。但我们担心越来越多过重的马桶座不仅会伤害孩子的健康，还会打击他们的自信。”