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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    Should children use a contour pillow?

    Related Topics
    Back & Neck Pain Pain Parenting
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    Dr Phillip Hamersley

    Chiropractor

    Chiropractor at Hamersley Family Chiropractic in Baldivis & Serpentine, Western Australia. Dr Phil Hamersley is your local chiropractor at Hamersley Family Chiropractic in Baldivis and … View Profile

    Hi,

    The first question that should be answered here is what does a contour pillow do? A contour pillow is shaped to allow correct alignment of the cervical spine (neck) when you are laying down to sleep at night. The cervical spine has a c-shaped curve known as a lordosis, and maintaining this curve as best as possible will allow for optimal function in the neck. Considering we are asleep for a third of our lives, it would be a novel idea to maintain correct spinal alignment while doing so.

    This leads into your question asking should children use a contour pillow. Of course they should! The need to keep a healthy alignment in a childs spine is no different to an adult, and as we know prevention is better than cure, so maintaining this curve from an early age with a good contour pillow is a great way to start! Hope this helps.

    Regards,

    Dr Phil.

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    Dr Tegan Swane

    Osteopath

    Generally, when it comes to pillows, there is not one pillow that is perfect for every person. Basically, if you find a pillow comfortable and you are not waking with any neck pain or headaches, then that is the right pillow for you. The aim for any pillow is that it keeps the neck and spine aligned in a relatively neutral position. If you are sleeping on your back, you want your head in a position that it is not lifted up really high or extended back too far. For example, if you are using two pillows the head would be lifted too high and causing a lot of strain in the neck. The same thing applies when sleeping on your side. Ideally you want a position where the head is in a position that keeps the cervical (neck) spine in line with the rest of the back ie. so that your head is not all the way up or dropped all the way down.

    So basically, as long as the child finds that the contour pillow is comfortable for them, and when they are lying down, their head is in a neutral position, then it should be fine for the child to use, but it is not always necessary. It is whatever they find comfortable.

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