Pillow for the prevention of cranial deformities in newborns

Abstract

The pillow has an orifice of suitable dimensions, which decreases the local pressure exerted on the skull, which is formed by a body of foam or another material deformable under pressure and a fabric coating which protects the core and improves the hold of the head, whose coating has an upper layer and another lower one sewn together in the same orifice and followings its perimeter and at mid height of the foam core, although the fabric, due to its physical, elastic or contraction properties, offers sufficient support and said upper and lower layers do not require being joined together in the perimeter of the orifice. The cavity formed has dimensions which adapt to the natural shape of the newborn baby's head.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION[0001]The invention described and claimed hereinbelow is also described in Spanish Utility Model No. 200900122 filed on Jan. 22, 2009, 2008. This Spanish Utility Model, whose subject matter is incorporated here by reference, provides the basis for a claim of priority of invention under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d).BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to pillows for supporting newborn heads.[0003]Newborns spend a large part of the day lying down in supine position, whether it be sleeping, playing or travelling. The weight of the head itself causes a moulding of the bones against the contact surface, creating flat areas on the cranium.[0004]In Asia, cushions stuffed with rice or soy seeds have been used for thousands of years to decrease the pressure on babies' craniums.[0005]In western countries, newborns have traditionally slept in prone position, i.e. lying face down, so there is no precedent of this type. Nevertheless, sinc...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008]An anatomical pillow of the present invention reduces the pressure exerted on the cranium of a newborn when it is lying down in the supine position, i.e., face up.

[0009]The specially designed shape of this pillow prevents all types of postural cranial deformations and helps to correct congenital deformations. The three main deformations are called Plagiocephaly, Brachycephaly and Scaphocephaly, depending on the shape adapted by the cranium.

[0010]This pillow has been designed to support the head, minimizing the local pressures thereon and permitting a correct development of the baby's cranium.

[0011]The pillow proposed has been devised to completely and satisfactorily resolve the drawbacks of the existing pillows, being an anatomical pillow with suitable structural or configurative characteristics to, on the one hand, fulfil the function of supporting a lying down newborn on the pillow so that the pressure of the weight of the head itself is spread over a broad enough surface and so that the spinal column and the head are correctly aligned.

[0013]When the newborn supports its head in the orifice of the pillow, it is held at the foamy edges of the central orifice and also by the fabric which covers the foam. Therefore, a head support is achieved without high pressure points, which will prevent the appearance of flat areas on the cranium.

Problems solved by technology

The conventional pillows used to support the head of newborns have a series of drawbacks including the danger of suffocation due to the sponginess of the material, and the development of mites and other small insects which can cause allergic reactions in contact with the skin.

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