Children's pillow: when does a child need one?

A child doesn't need a pillow from a fixed age. What matters is whether the pillow suits your child's body measurements, meaning shoulder width, neck and sleeping position. And because children grow, the same size only fits for a while.

When does a child need a pillow?

In our view, there is no fixed age limit. For babies and very young children, please follow what your paediatrician recommends about safe sleep. We do not give advice on this.

Later, the question changes: is your child's head resting well, or is support missing between head, neck and mattress? When lying on their side, a gap forms there, and it is determined mainly by the shoulder. The narrower the shoulders, the smaller this gap.

A pillow makes sense when it fills this gap without pushing the head upwards. An adult pillow is therefore usually too high for a small child.

Some children also sleep well without a pillow. In that case, you don't need to change anything.

What decides which children's pillow fits?

The same applies to children as to adults. Five things determine the right pillow height:

• shoulder width,
• neck circumference,
• neck length,
• sleeping position (back, side, front),
• the mattress (soft, medium, firm).

For adults, we measure the first three points like this:

Head and cervical spine should lie in a line, and the shoulder needs room. This is the principle behind any pillow height that fits. It is not a cure, but a good basis for lying comfortably. You can read how to work out the height in Calculating pillow height. How to tell that a pillow doesn't fit is explained in Pillow too high or too low?

Which pillow suits school-age children?

With school-age children, several changes come together. They grow, their shoulders get broader, and their sleeping position sometimes changes. Often there is also a different mattress, for example when the child moves from a cot to a larger bed.

A pillow that fitted when your child started school may be too low a few years later. Conversely, a large adult pillow is often too high and too wide for a school-age child. With school-age children, it is therefore worth not choosing the size by age alone.

If your child mostly lies on their side, shoulder width is especially important. You can find more in our guide The right pillow for side sleepers.

Is there a children's pillow for toddlers?

Pillowise Junior starts at age 4. We don't have a pillow for younger children. If you are looking for a pillow for a toddler of nursery age, it is best to talk to your paediatrician.

The important point here too: the pillow should fit the child, not the other way round. A pillow that is too high or too big is of no use to any child.

Why doesn't one size fit forever?

Children don't grow evenly. Shoulder width, neck and nape change, and with them the gap that a pillow has to fill. A children's pillow that fits today is therefore not a decision for all the years ahead.

The following signs suggest it is worth checking the size:

• When lying on their side, the head bends down towards the mattress or is pushed upwards.
• Your child folds the pillow up, pushes it away or puts an arm under their head.
• Your child has grown noticeably, or the mattress has changed.

These are signs, not a diagnosis. If your child repeatedly complains of neck, head or back pain, please have it checked by a doctor. A pillow is no substitute for an examination. You can find more basics in our guide to choosing the right pillow.

What is Pillowise Junior?

Pillowise Junior is our children's pillow. The idea behind it comes from Thijs van der Hilst's physiotherapy practice. He couldn't recommend a suitable pillow to his patients with neck complaints, so he developed a measuring method. With Pillowise Junior too, the size follows from details about the child and not from age alone.

Three sizes for children aged 4 to 15 mean that your child will change size over time. This is intentional. It reflects what happens as children grow. You can find the details on sizing and on the pillow on the Pillowise Junior page and at pillowisejunior.com.

What Pillowise Junior does not promise: it does not treat any complaints. It is meant to give your child suitable support for head and neck, nothing more.

So: does your child need a new children's pillow now?

If your child sleeps well, wakes up relaxed and the pillow still suits their shoulders, you don't need to change anything. There is no need to swap a pillow just because a certain age has been reached.

Think again if your child has grown, the mattress has changed, or the pillow looks visibly too high or too low. Then it is worth working out the size from body measurements.

You can see for yourself how sizing works for adults on our measuring page. The principle of body measurements, sleeping position and mattress stays the same.

Find your size or find a stockist: Go to the measuring page here. You can find a Pillowise stockist near you under Stockists. Do ask there about the children's pillow.

Thijs van der Hilst, physiotherapist (non-practising)
Inventor of Pillowise