Children's orthopedic mattresses - elastic and rigid, with springs and covers with various fillers, have long become a daily necessity. Orthopedic covers and frames are available in many modifications, each of which is in demand on the market.
Features of the
Healthy sleep takes a significant place in the life of any person. Experts say that the first mattresses appeared in the prehistoric era. During the Neolithic era, people slept on sheep and bull skins filled with straw. Then down and feathers, horsehair and dry grass came to replace them as fillers. The first box-spring mattress was invented at the beginning of the 20th century and has since become an integral part of the bedroom as bedding for adults and children.
It is especially important to provide a comfortable environment for your child to sleep well. If an adult needs to sleep 8-8.5 hours for rest, then for children of primary and secondary school age, the sleep period should be much longer, ranging from 9 to 10.5 hours.
During this entire time period, according to the recommendations of doctors, children need to stay on a plane that allows them to occupy themselves in their sleep. a comfortable posture with completely relaxed muscles. HFailure to comply with this rule leads to poor posture and problems with blood circulation, dysfunction of internal organs. First of all, the child's neck is subjected to additional stress, which leads to headaches. Since the children's skeletal system is in the stage of formation and growth, a weak spinal column, if the plane for lying is uncomfortable, tends to gradually deform.
Therefore, experts recommend that parents purchase a high-quality orthopedic mattress to maintain health and form good posture.
Varieties
Every family would like to buy a mattress for their baby, which is considered the best among modern bedding. Therefore, manufacturers are trying to meet the needs of discerning parents by offering new products. Mattresses are available in a large assortment, among them several types are common: children's spring, springless and combined. If there are elastic springs in the structure, they are connected in different ways - either they are assembled in the form of blocks, or they are tied together. A hard or medium firm mattress avoids the appearance of such a common disease as curvature of the spine - scoliosis.
If the mattress is placed in a chair bed or on a sofa, the thinnest variety is used.
Let's characterize the above types of mattresses:
- Dependent block of springs … In an inexpensive block mattress, most often the spring part is located inside a steel frame-fence, which prevents the child from falling during sleep. Until recently, these mattresses prevailed on the market. A product with high protection properties has one serious drawback - over time, after six months or a year, such a mattress sags, its orthopedic qualities are lost, and, as a result, the baby's spine begins to experience additional stress. The springs begin to press and interfere, so the shorter and smaller in diameter they are, and the more tightly they are sewn into the mattress, the better.
- Independent spring block … Inside, special bags or cups are made, into each of which sets are inserted, consisting of several hundred springs. With this arrangement of flexible elements, the mattress bends like a hammock while the child is resting, but does not sag. According to orthopedic doctors, this design is justified and well suited for a children's mattress. Since there can be up to several thousand flexible parts per square meter, the weight of the product is significant - this is the main disadvantage of this type. In addition, a massive mattress is not suitable for a small crib. Sufficiently stable and spacious sleeping places are complemented with such bedding. Among the shortcomings, it should be noted the ability to accumulate dust and static electricity inside, so this product must be cleaned and ventilated, if possible, disinfected.
Mattress without springs… A popular reversible product can have one side latex and the other coconut. Wadded or foam mattresses are now a thing of the past - although such a bed accessory is very cheap, it quickly loses its shape and squeezes, becoming uneven and uncomfortable. The absorbed moisture remains inside for a long time, so multiplying bacteria can cause infections in children
Each age has its own model. You should take into account the following age characteristics when buying a mattress:
The smallest children under 2-3 years old Doctors advise putting mattresses without springs, made from coconut coir, into the bed. This material is environmentally friendly, the baby does not develop allergic reactions. As a rule, mattresses for newborns and babies are the most rigid, ensuring the correct formation of the child's skeletal system. Coconut coir or buckwheat husks do not accumulate dust and do not electrify
- From 4 years old to 5-7 … At this age, a good choice is a high-quality latex mattress with medium firmness and elasticity. Children frolic in bed and play, and not only sleep, so an unnecessarily hard surface is not needed, an elastic combined version with two types of cover is more suitable, including both coconut or latex, and polyurethane foam. Spring mattresses will also work if the number of cells is not too large.
- For adolescents you need a high-quality orthopedic mattress, box-spring, strictly matched to the size of the bed. Comfortable mattresses with independent springs are preferred by parents who want to provide maximum comfort for a child of middle and senior school age. A good mattress on springs lasts up to ten years, combined and without springs even longer - up to 14-15 years.
Dimensions (edit)
The dimensions of a baby bed and a mattress for it vary depending on age. Such sizes for a children's bed as 60x120 and 140x70 have become widespread. The latter, expanded in size, are no longer uncommon as they used to be.
Mattresses with small parameters are chosen for newborns … The standard for up to three years is 60x120 as the preferred size of a crib for a baby. At the same time, to avoid confusion, it is the internal size that needs to be taken into account. Sometimes foreign manufacturers indicate the parameters with an offset of three centimeters, which makes it possible to take into account the thickness of the mattress and the mattress topper that protects against moisture and leakage, which is placed on top for the smallest.
As the child grows parents purchase bedding of the following sizes: 70x160 and 80x160, which are often produced combined, having latex, foam and spring sides. Dimensions 80x160 are recognized as the "golden ratio" for a teenage berth. When purchasing a teenage bed, you will most likely buy a mattress of this exact size for it. For older children, mattresses 90x200, 80x180 are most often purchased. They match the large beds that a tall adult child can sleep on while comfortably resting on a spacious mattress.
Materials (edit)
Although mattresses with natural filling are more expensive, experts recommend giving them preference. This is especially true for the bed for small children. Consider the characteristics of the main materials:
Latex-impregnated coconut mattress it is sealed, dust does not get inside it and insects do not penetrate. Differs in increased strength and durability. Thanks to this, the material from coconut and buckwheat husk belongs to the extra class
Natural latex obtained from the foam of the sap of a rubber tree. Natural material is considered one of the best for making mattresses. The elastic properties of latex are such that, sagging for a long time under the weight of the child's body, the mattress immediately restores its original structure. Natural latex material serves better than foam made from polymers, although the latter also has many positive properties, including hypoallergenicity and environmental friendliness
- Polyurethane foam refers to inexpensive synthetic materials, its composition resembles foam rubber, but significantly improved and obtained according to the latest technologies. This material is hypoallergenic and non-toxic, it serves as a good frame. Available in various degrees of hardness.
- From artificial fibers for mattresses, materials such as struttofiber and orthofiber … Products with synthetic fillers are cheaper, they are quite tough and do not lose their shape. The compositions have thermal insulating properties, resembling wool. The thermal and orthopedic effect is achieved due to the specially located fibers inside the material.
Another important point that ensures the comfort of the child during sleep is the fabric from which the mattress cover is sewn. Many quality products are made with a double-sided cover: the summer side is made of cotton fiber, which gives cool and freshness in hot weather, and the winter side is made of woolen fabric. Instead of dense cotton, jacquard fabric is used, containing up to 80% cotton thread, the remaining 20 are synthetic. This coating won't rub, tear or fade.
How to choose?
It is important to purchase a new, unused orthopedic mattress for the child, and not take an old one that has been preserved almost from Soviet times. Such a thing has probably absorbed a lot of dust and various bacteria over the years of service.
If you are ready to buy, consider all the options to choose the best one.
The word "orthos" is translated from Greek as "even, correct". This is an accurate description of the position in which the child's spine should be during sleep. Which type of mattress to choose depends on many factors, including the age of the child and the appearance of the sleeping surface.
The size of the bed must strictly correspond to the dimensions of the selected mattress. The remaining free space will allow the playful toddler to place a leg there or squeeze a handle. As a result, not far from injury. A small crib needs the same mattress, by no means more. Compression causes pits and irregularities. If the child's bed is non-standard, it is better to specially order bedding for it.
Manufacturers rating
Among well-known manufacturers, according to the estimates of professionals, the following stand out for their quality products:
- Ikea Is a renowned company producing affordable and safe mattresses for children. The Vissa range includes inexpensive, 1.5 cm high thin cotton / polyester products, 8 cm thick polypropylene and polyester wadding mattresses, and dense combination mattresses with springs. Pocket steel springs provide ventilation by allowing air to circulate freely inside. This 10 cm mattress will fit all standard 120x60 cribs.
- Askona - a joint Russian-Swedish venture, a subsidiary of a Swedish firm and a leader in the production of similar products in Eastern Europe.
- "Afalina"launched in 2003 with a wide range of anatomical and orthopedic mattresses for children.
- Ormatek Is a Russian company offering superior mattresses. These are spring mattresses of decent quality at a low price of 2 thousand rubles. The company has an impressive selection of sizes for children from one year of age and older.
Testimonials
All responding buyers note the high quality of products from Russian manufacturers such as Askona, Ormatek, Sakura. The Askona model with linen and foam flooring, spring, 80 x 190 cm, with orthopedic point load was highly appreciated. Many respondents liked the mattress from the manufacturer "Sakura", latex with similar properties, dimensions 190 x 80.
Consumers are also attracted by the democratic price - small mattresses for children under 12-14 years old in sizes 160x70 and 160x80 can be purchased for a price not exceeding 8 thousand rubles.
Orthopedic mattress "Plitex" … It is a double-sided product with high reliability. Customers appreciated the ability to remove and clean the cover. The coconut filler with latex fibers is resilient and durable. For babies, Afalina-Eco with a winter-summer effect and fillers from coconut coir and polypropylene foam is recognized as the best. The mothers who responded liked that the mattress quickly regains its shape. They also noted the democratic price of the product.
For information on how to choose a children's orthopedic mattress, see the next video.