Is it safe for a toddler to sleep on a foam mattress?
Saturday, October 15th, 2011 at
7:00 pm
I know they say under 1 year should be on a firm mattress to reduce the risk of sids, but after the childs 1st birthday and is walking and able to move well, is it dangerous to let them sleep on an adult size foam mattress?
Filed under: Bed In A Bag
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While they are physically capable of walking and moving, can they roll "easily"? This is important as some children while being able to stand and more cannot roll.
Also, at that age it is still not safe for adults to sleep next to them if this is the mattress you sleep on.
When babies are first born, they are not able to lift their heads which is the reason why a crib mattress that is too soft can be a hazard and can create dangerous situations that could lead to smothering.
A foam mattress should be fine provided that you choose one that is made of high density foam. This does not mean the greatest thickness but instead, the greatest weight. Heavier foam tends to hold up better under weight and rebounds to its original shape quicker when the weight is removed. However, beware of extremely cheap foam as many are made with inferior quality foam that can become brittle and eventually start breaking apart inside the cover thereby reducing support.
Alternatively, you could go for a longer lasting, firm inner spring mattress with a coil count between 150 and 180. Coil counts above these figures, tend to use smaller gauge wires which provide less support.