Children's mattresses
A customer recently called me. She told me that her two-and-a-half-year-old daughter was getting a big bed. She had looked around at various “specialty stores” for a mattress suitable for her daughter. The information she received was completely confusing and absolutely contradictory.
One salesperson told her that firm support was necessary for the development of the spine, so she should buy a hard mattress. The next salesperson strongly recommended she get a flexible mattress, because even small children can develop muscle tension on beds that are too hard.
In the end, the customer said: “I feel like the salespeople have no idea what they’re talking about—how else could experts give such different advice? I really don’t know what to do anymore!”
So what kind of mattress should my child sleep on now?
To get straight to the point: How hard or soft a child’s mattress should be is not the most important question at all!
Young children can actually sleep just fine on a soft “Pflumi bed,” as well as on carpet or even hardwood floors, without developing muscle tension. The reason for this is that, due to their physical constitution, young children are hardly prone to muscle tension, no matter how or where they sleep.
With older children and teenagers, this begins to change. Not only do their comfort expectations increase, but so does the need to lie in a position that suits their own body shape. Children grow taller, and with that, their physical features develop—such as the differences between the shoulders, waist, and hips, as well as the natural curve of the lower back. On very hard surfaces, the body becomes increasingly misaligned, which can often lead to mild muscle tension. Medium-firm to soft (but not sagging!) mattresses are therefore better suited for proper support. Under no circumstances should the influence of the musculature be overlooked as children get older. All too often, unfortunately, even sixteen- to twenty-year-olds complain of back problems in bed. Especially during the transition to adulthood, the musculature is often used very unevenly or not at all. This is one of the main causes of back problems in people over forty and, unfortunately, is also a recurring issue among very young people.
Another very important aspect is almost always forgotten: the sleeping environment. Who hasn’t noticed their child kicking off the covers, sweaty and wet? Many children get very warm while sleeping. With the caring intention of doing what’s best for the child, they are often covered far too warmly. Unfortunately, however, neither the mattress cover nor the blanket is usually able to respond to the child’s changing temperature and climate. Absorbent mattress covers become damp and stay that way. Blankets that are too warm prevent moisture from evaporating when the child sweats. This hinders the cooling effect intended by sweating. As a result, the little one’s temperature keeps rising. As a result, the child kicks off the blanket and lies damp in the cool night air. In adults, this is one of the main causes of tension and back pain in bed. For children, too, this effect is anything but healthy.
Furthermore, mite infestation is significantly higher in a bed that is regularly very damp than in one that is drier. Mites love a warm, humid environment and thrive in it. Given our children’s increasing susceptibility to allergens, a higher concentration of mite droppings is by no means a good scenario.
My recommendation is therefore:
Children can easily sleep on a medium-firm mattress. Avoid very hard or very soft mattresses.
- Make sure your child sleeps on a highly absorbent and, very importantly, quick-drying mattress cover. Ideally, you should be able to remove and wash these. This will also largely solve the dust mite problem.
- Don’t cover your child too warmly. The blanket should also be able to absorb moisture very quickly and in large quantities. It’s best if you can wash it as well. Very important: If you notice that your child is sweating, air out their bed thoroughly every day with the covers off.
- Make sure the room temperature is comfortable. Cold air below 17 degrees or heat above 21 degrees won’t help your child sleep soundly.
Finally: Don’t worry too much. In every respect, children are much less demanding or sensitive than we parents usually imagine!
