Children's Pillow: When Does a Child Need One?

A child doesn't need a pillow at any set age. What matters is whether the pillow suits your child's body measurements: 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 pediatrician recommends about safe sleep. We don't give advice on this.

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

A pillow makes sense when it fills this gap without pushing the head upward. A standard 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:

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

The head and cervical spine should sit in a line, and the shoulder needs room. This is the principle behind every well-fitting pillow height. It is not a cure, but a good starting point for comfortable sleep. You can read about how to work out the height under Calculating Your Pillow Height. How to tell that a pillow doesn't fit is covered under Pillow too high or too low?

Which pillow suits school-aged children?

With school-aged children, several changes happen at once. They grow, their shoulders get broader, and their sleeping position sometimes changes. Often there is also a different mattress, for example when your child moves from a crib to a larger bed.

A pillow that fit 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-aged child. For school-aged children, it is therefore worth not choosing the size by age alone.

If your child mostly sleeps on their side, shoulder width is especially important. You'll find more in the 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 young child of kindergarten age, it's best to talk to your pediatrician.

The same point matters here: the pillow should fit the child, not the other way around. A pillow that is too high or too big does no child any good.

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 to come.

The following signs suggest it's time to check the size:

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'll 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. That's intentional. It reflects what happens as children grow. You'll find the details on choosing a size and on the pillow itself 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 the 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 replace a pillow just because your child has reached a certain age.

Think again if your child has grown, the mattress has changed or the pillow looks clearly too high or too low. In that case, it's worth determining 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 locate a retailer: Take your measurements here. You can find a Pillowise retailer near you under Retailers. Feel free to ask there about the children's pillow.

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