Conventional pillows are not always able to ensure the correct position of the baby's head during sleep. This can affect the development of the child's body as a whole, become a source of serious diseases of the spine, so it will be very reasonable to purchase an orthopedic pillow for your child.
The concept of an orthopedic pillow for newborns appeared not so long ago.
Orthopedic pillows are a type of pillows that, due to their shape and structure, contribute to the correct position of the head when sleeping or resting in a supine position.
Orthopedic pillows will provide a comfortable head position during sleep.
Advice. It is very important that the children's orthopedic pillow is of high quality and correctly selected, otherwise the product may not only be useless, but also cause harm.
Why does a child need an orthopedic pillow
Generally speaking, it is required to ensure the normal sleep of the child, and in the long term it serves as a guarantee of the correct development of the spine to adulthood.
When choosing a pillow, be aware that a good pillow supports your head and cervical spine.
Anatomical pillow is required:
For the formation of the correct curvature of the spinal column in the child. Children sleep 8-10 hours a day, or even more. The body continues to grow at this time. How this will happen largely depends on the position of the body and head during sleep.
For unloading the intervertebral discs. A child weighs less than an adult and does not lift anything heavy, but children lead a very active lifestyle. They run, fall, jump from a height, all this, of course, exerts a load on the intervertebral discs.
For the prevention of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine and a number of other diseases. Some of them, received in childhood, are very difficult to cure later.
To restore proper breathing and optimal oxygen flow to the brain.
To relieve muscle tension. When the head is in an unnatural position, some of the muscles tense up. This interferes with restful and deep sleep, and can cause pain.
For rehabilitation measures for injuries of the cervical spine. Here you need to be as careful as possible, choose a pillow only as prescribed by a doctor, following all his recommendations.
How old can you use an orthopedic pillow
In maternity wards, babies lie without pillows at all. Due to the peculiarities of the anatomy of the child's body at this age, they simply do not need them, the head is already in the optimal position.
You should also pay attention to the width of the shoulders.
With the normal development of the child, you need to think about buying a baby pillow only after the child is at least one year old.
The selection of an orthopedic pillow depends on the filler material.
This is the earliest period when a pillow may be needed. And then, it would be more correct to first consult a doctor. Let him examine your child.
How to choose the right orthopedic pillow for your child
Up to one year
It is better to use contoured orthopedic pillows with a slight seal under the neck.
An orthopedic pillow for children under one year old is necessary only in exceptional cases:
Frequent regurgitation. Even a very caring mother cannot be near her own child without interruptions. Buy a small pillow after consulting your doctor. Then you can calmly do household chores without worrying about the crumb. The recommended shape of the pillow is inclined.
Hypotonicity and hypertonicity of muscles. To bring the child's muscle tone back to normal, you should buy a pillow that will fix the position of the head during sleep.
Intracranial hypertension, birth trauma. With a raised head, the child's blood flow is normalized and pain is relieved. The recommended shape of the product is a butterfly.
Deformed bones of the skull. Not as scary as it sounds. After selecting a pillow of a strictly defined shape, everything will be normalized, and the child will develop absolutely normally.
Torticollis. Nothing good either, but with the right choice of an orthopedic pillow, the problem can be solved. The height is chosen by the doctor and is adjusted as the patient recovers.
Advice. An ordinary pillow for the aforementioned diseases is categorically contraindicated for a child and can lead to very serious negative consequences.
Over a year
For a child under 3 years old, the height of the orthopedic pillow should be no more than 2-3 cm.If the child is already 5-6 years old, then the pillow should be chosen no higher than 5-6 cm.
Read the instructions for the pillow.
For primary school students, buy a pillow no thicker than 10 cm. The width and length of the pillow are not decisive, they are chosen according to the size of the crib and what is in stores.
There are special pillows for older children.
Most often on sale you can find products 25 × 40 cm and 40 × 60 cm. If possible, buy them. It will be easier to find pillowcases.
These pillows are made on the basis of special materials.
Among the fillers of children's pillows, the most common:
Bamboo fiber. It has antibacterial properties, does not cause allergies, and its care is quite simple.
Latex. It is a very soft yet resilient material. Due to its porous structure, it is often used in choking cushions. In addition, latex does not retain moisture and does not accumulate dust. Its main drawback is its high price.
Holofiber. Does not cause allergies, is well ventilated, is characterized by moderate rigidity, but does not last long.
Foam rubber and synthetic winterizer. They are budget fillers. Moderately soft, comfortable, do not need complicated care. Of the minuses, we can note the ability to absorb moisture and the undesirability of using children with allergies.
Polyurethane foam. It is not expensive. Excellent spring and shape memory, hypoallergenic. Service life - no more than 4-5 years.
The selection of an orthopedic pillow depends on the filler material.
In addition to those mentioned, you can find on sale baby pillows filled with down and wool. They are popular, but they accumulate dust, a dust mite haven, and can trigger allergies, so choose another if possible.
Today, there are many modifications of anatomical pillows on the market.
Manufacturers of children's orthopedic pillows
The most famous in our country are:
Trives. Products of this company are presented in two categories: for the smallest and for children from 3 years old. The filler is polyurethane foam, perforated latex and fiber.
Trelax. Produces pillows for babies up to 3 years old and orthopedic pillows for children from 3 years old. Filler - polyurethane foam, enriched with silver ions and perforated.
Sissel. Makes pillows for children from 3 years old with viscoelastic polyurethane foam filling.
Rivera. Domestic pillow manufacturer. Makes them with polyurethane foam filler.
PasTer. Produces butterfly pillows for babies. The filler is a komfortl (a kind of holofiber).Orthopedic pillows from this company relieve the cervical spine well and have a massage effect.
Advice. When buying, be sure to pay attention to the quality of the seams and the absence of foreign odors.
Orthopedic pillows can be bought in specialized stores,
We tried to talk about children's orthopedic pillows in as much detail as possible, at least we touched on all the important aspects. From the article, you probably understood that the main thing when choosing such products is safety.
Not service life, not price or even quality, but safety. Child's health is more important than any money. We strongly recommend that you adhere to this very rule when you go to the store.
