Health Minister Nelson Bascome expressed concern when The Royal Gazette revealed the scandal in October.

The Minister feared the children were being neglected and he was concerned the incidents had not been reported to Family Services.

But following a lengthy inquiry, Family Services have concluded that the children were neither at risk, nor had their mothers neglected their medical needs.

The problem was uncovered by the asthma charity Open Airways as it tried to help asthma sufferers living in cramped accommodation at the back of Hamilton.

Nurse Liz Boden, who runs the charity, said it was appalling that in a country as wealthy as Bermuda, children were still sleeping on floors.

The youngsters, from three separate families, had little chance of recovering from asthma if they slept on floors or on old mattresses, she said.

She told The Royal Gazette yesterday that the charity had provided new beds, dustmite mattresses and pillow covers to the three children, and that the youngsters were now making great progress.

She said she did not report the incidents to Family Services because the children were not being abused, but were living with caring parents in difficult circumstances.

She said: "Social Services asked me to say very clearly what the situation was with the individual families.

Asthmatics get beds "I have to report abuse, and this was not abuse. What I saw was not desirable, but it was not abuse. What I saw was very caring parents in poor home conditions.

"I would like to thank all the people who offered us beds, but unfortunately old beds are no good because the dustmites make the asthma bad.

"The children are all doing well. With asthma, it doesn't matter how good the medication is, if the home environment is not good, they are not going to get better.'' Mrs. Boden revealed that she had uncovered another case this week of a 14-year-old boy with asthma, sleeping on a mattress on a floor, who was in need of a bed.

Anyone who can donate a new bed to help children suffering from asthma who are sleeping on floors or mattresses should contact Mrs. Boden at the Nurses Practice on 232-0264.