Ultimate Dreams Latex for child

I’m looking to purchase a twin mattress for my 6 year-old, 50lb son. After reading several posts and reviews, based on our budget and time constraint (I need the mattress in less than two weeks), I’m thinking the Ultimate Dreams Latex Mattress from Amazon would be a good choice. I read that it is best to have a firmer mattress for children. Does anyone have a recommendation to which level of firmness would be appropriate for my son based on their 1-10 scale? Lastly, I am curious as to which age a child should move to a softer mattress and can I just add a topper to this mattress at that time? Thanks for your help.

Hi dnamem,

Post #2 here has links to some of the better posts and threads around the forum about children and mattresses.

I think the best source of information about comfort levels would be a phone call to the manufacturer themselves who has much more knowledge and experience with their mattresses than anyone else (including me) and would be the best source of guidance for which of their mattresses would make the best choice.

In general terms a medium/firm to firm choice (of the comfort layer not the mattress overall) would make the best choice for a child.

Sometime around the age of puberty when their bodies become more developed and “curvy” and they begin to indicate either through how they are sleeping or by making comments about it that they need some extra softness because their mattress is becoming less comfortable. In some cases they may not need any extra softness at all depending on their body type and sleeping position and the specifics of the mattress. If the mattress is still in good condition and has no soft spots or “hills and valleys” and has an even firmness across the surface then a topper can work well. If there are soft spots or dips in the mattress then a topper wouldn’t be suitable because it will just “follow” the soft spots or dips underneath it.

Phoenix

Phoenix, thanks for your help and speedy response. I will call the manufacturer for their recommendation on the firmness. The information on when to replace the mattress and add a topper was super helpful as I was also wondering at what point I would need to replace the mattress and exactly what indicators to look for. Great forum!

Hi damem,

There are really no standard answers to this because it really depends on the person and on the type of mattress and its condition over the years. You can see an example in the video here of a mattress that was used for almost 50 years (which I wouldn’t recommend). Some very low quality mattresses may only last a year or two, some mattresses that are a little better quality may need to be replaced every 5 - 7 years (and often sooner), some better quality mattresses may be in the range of 7 - 10 years, and higher quality mattresses may be in the range of 10 - 20 years. In some cases people’s needs change as they get older and they may need either a topper for extra comfort or a new mattress.

In general though you would look for the loss of comfort and pressure relief (usually pressure points) or the loss of support (back pain and discomfort) or indications that the mattress may no longer be suitable for you (poor sleep that you can attribute to the mattress because you sleep better on other mattresses). In some mattresses you would look for hills and valleys in the mattress or a mattress getting lumpy and uncomfortable. You would also want to replace it if it becomes unhygienic and soiled.

Ultimately it’s up to each person to decide when the mattress is no longer suitable for them and when that happens if the mattress still has a firm and even surface with no soft spots or depressions then a topper may work well to add some life to the mattress. Some mattresses have individual layers that can be replaced instead of the whole mattress if one layer wears out faster than the others (usually the top layer) or changed if needs and preferences change. Other than this you can rebuild the mattress if the materials inside it are good quality and still in good condition and warrant the expense or you can replace the complete mattress.

Phoenix

Phoenix, in my last post I was actually just thanking you for the extra information you provided in your original post about the indicators that a mattress needed to be replaced. However, I see you saw my post as a question and provided even greater detail. You are a wealth of information! I’m going to call the Ultimate Dreams manufacturer today. Hopefully, all will go well and my son will have a great mattress soon.

Hi dnamem,

I’m looking forward to finding out what you end up choosing :slight_smile:

Phoenix