FR2900321A1 - Ergonomic mattress for placing e.g. premature new-born, has plastic foam mattress with reception upper surface that is conformed for holding and bringing together premature newborn or infant in rolling position approaching fetal position - Google Patents

Abstract

The mattress has a molded or sharpened flexible plastic foam block (1) whose reception upper surface (2) is conformed for holding and bringing together a premature newborn or an infant in a rolling position approaching a fetal position, where the mattress is made of flexible plastic polyurethane foam and is formed of a single piece by molding or by manual or automatic shaping. The surface is coated with elastic, waterproof, breathable and hypoallergenic paint. A removable and flexible cover is executed in jersey cotton, sponge or elastic cotton.

Description

-1- Ergonomic mattress for preventing and correcting disorders

  peri-natal. The present invention relates to an ergonomic mattress, for preventing and correcting peri-natal disorders. More specifically, the invention relates to a flexible structure holding the baby in a cranio-codal and transverse winding position approximating the fetal position. This ergonomic mattress aims in particular to ensure: the prevention of transient and proven disorders, in premature and / or at risk babies; - more generally, the comfort of full-term babies, as well as the prevention of plagiocephalia. the relaxation of babies during a medical examination. Numerous studies and experiments have clearly established that it is uncomfortable, even disabling for their future development, to install babies on mattresses or bedding similar flat and firm. Before birth, the fetus is in a fluid environment allowing it to develop at bone and muscle levels without having to endure inhibitory constraints. It is content "smoothly". At birth, the child loses the basic protections of his container, which exposes him to problematic situations. During the last three months of pregnancy, the fetus is flexed against resistant soft walls. The healthy term neonate therefore has a flexural tone, as it has made muscle strengthening against resistance in the flexed flexure position; every time he attempted a movement, he encountered the resistant flexible wall. In the premature child, the problems stem mainly from the fact that he is deprived too early of his original container and all its fundamental properties. He therefore has not had time to acquire this muscle flexural tone and this deficit will cause various functional disorders, such as: attitude called "batrachian"; instability of the position; - lack of movement; inability to move his head; he seems a little lost in a universe too big for him; "The premature baby is a fetus in bad shape" (Dr. Grenier). Later, when he regains strength, he will always "recruit" at the level of the extensors. Everything happens as if he put his strength in the position he is given. Unable to fight automatically and permanently against gravity, he remains totally dependent on the support. Spread on a horizontal plane, it cancels its spinal curvature, dislocates its limbs in extreme position (in abduction and external rotation). Its head rests laterally with impossibility or very great difficulty to turn it spontaneously, which will lead to plagiocéphalies and openings of visual fields and attention disharmonic. There will then be organization of a preferential side more efficient. On the other hand, the development of a predominance of extensors results in: an extension of the head with the tongue glued to the palate (creating discomfort for the introduction of the pacifier); cranial deformity; a position of equine feet with extension of the big toes; - gastro-oesophageal reflux with risk of miscarriage and swallowing pneumopathies; - a risk of umbilical hernia; visual field disharmony with installation of a preferential side; a look that caps; - a difficulty of defecation, which leads to colic; an overexcitation; disorders of the mother / child relationship. Later, when walking, one can see that the child: did not build his body axis; it unifies by its right space and to the left; he walks in equine, which leads to frequent falls aggravated by an imbalance of attentional visual fields. At the age of the preparatory course, one can notice in the child: - disorders of the attention; 15 - difficulties of graphic expression; visuospatial dyspraxia; dyslexia with visual confusion (especially on vertical symmetry letters). the child mainly uses his peripheral vision because he has not acquired the experience of close vision. Items or facilities currently offered peri-natality, consist of various rods and independent wedges requiring manipulations, associations and fine tuning, to place and maintain the child in a neutral position. This situation is apparent, for example, from documents US Pat. No. 3,371,909 and FR-2,774,270 (see also www.psynem.necker.fr). The items that are found in the trade come from this design. The objectives of the invention are to prevent and correct these disorders through an ergonomic device remarkable in that it is constituted by a molded soft foam plastic mattress, the upper surface of reception can contain and gather the newborn or infant in a winding position (approaching the fetal position). According to a preferred embodiment, the ergonomic mattress is made of flexible plastic foam having a density of between 26 g / I and 80 g / l, depending on the weight of the baby, and, for example, a density of between 26 g. I and 37 g / l. According to an interesting embodiment, the ergonomic mattress is made of polyurethane foam. According to another embodiment, the reception surface of the ergonomic cocoon is covered with an elastic paint impervious, breathable and hypoallergenic, which allows its disinfection. According to another embodiment, the ergonomic mattress comprises a removable and flexible cover, for example made of cotton jersey or elastic cotton sponge.

  According to one embodiment, the ergonomic mattress is molded or cut in one piece. In addition, such a one-piece mattress may comprise: removable correction shims for modifying its inclination with respect to a bearing surface, and / or; a removable flexible reducer flange to reduce the size of the receiving cavity of the newborn to adapt to the size of the newborn, if necessary. According to another interesting embodiment, the ergonomic mattress is constituted by the assembly of two elements, namely: a flexible bead and a pillow in which are formed two parallel or approximately parallel passages allowing its mounting and sliding on the end portions of said U-shaped folded flexible bead. This embodiment allows easy adaptation of the ergonomic mattress to changes in size of the newborn. In order to prevent the occurrence of the transient disorders mentioned above, the premature newborn will be installed in the winding position in the ergonomic mattress or "home nest" according to the invention, on average up to four months of corrected age. Of course, in the case of babies at risk of proven pathology, the installation of these in an ergonomic mattress or "home nest" according to the invention is not only desirable early in life, but it must be extended and adapted according to the orthopedic problems encountered. In the application of the invention to full-term babies, the ergonomic mattress will have during the first two or three months of life, a "reassuring container" function that will allow them to pass smoothly from the "warm and soft maternal womb" to the outside life. It will replace the full-term child in a winding, gathering position, which will facilitate his motor skills, improve his gastroesophageal reflux (so common in the first year of life) and facilitate his transit.

  It will also prevent the frequent risk of plagiocephalia "consequence" of the strict decubitus dorsal (without pillow) recommended within the framework of the prevention of the sudden death of the infant. Behavioral level, the child placed in ergonomic mattress is quieter, less excitable.

  His sleep is improved in quality and duration. The ergonomic mattress can also be used to ease falling asleep (parents cradle their child in the mattress and put it in the bed without the baby waking up as it always feels "like arms"). -6 This winding position allows the child to look at his parents rather than the ceiling, which facilitates communication between them by look and / or even language. In the case of proven pathologies, the child will have to be installed as an ergonomic mattress during his entire growth period. The ergonomic foam mattress molded or cut will be adapted to the size of the child and its pathology and will prevent and mitigate the many deformities that inevitably settle as well in the context of hypotonia that the hypertonia.

  In the case of hypotonia, the mattress will essentially have a role of container. In the case of hypertonia, it will fight against the responses in hopistotonos, responsible for very serious deformities (dislocation of the hip, deviation in gust of wind, scoliosis, cranial deformation,

  .) ... DTD: In the application of the invention for professional use, its purpose is to promote the relaxation of the baby during a medical examination. The child will feel safe in the ergonomic mattress that contains it and reassures him. The medical context is softened for the benefit of the child and his caregiver.

  The design of this ergonomic mattress allows babies to be examined from birth until about fourteen months of age. An ergonomic mattress adaptable to baby scales will also be proposed. It can be advantageously used by pediatricians, general practitioners, osteopaths, ...

  In the application of the invention to the field of childcare, it will be proposed a changing mattress that will reassure the child and the mother, because it will allow "langeage" in safer conditions. The new ergonomic system according to the invention proposes an installation of the child in "fetal position" comfortable and preventive, requiring no tedious or harmful manipulation of wedges, tubes or cushions, and allowing both a positioning in supine and lateral decubitus, "in coil". In addition, the materials used, thanks to their extreme elastic flexibility, prevent cranial deformations, and their impermeability, allows easy disinfection. The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages will become more apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a plan view of an exemplary conformation of the ergonomic mattress or cocoon according to the invention. Figure 2 is a front view of the head end of the ergonomic cocoon. Figure 3 is a front view of the foot end of said cocoon. Fig. 4 is a side view of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of Figs. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view along line 7-7 of FIG. 5. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a neonate installed in an ergonomic mattress according to the invention. Figure 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of a conformational variant of the ergonomic mattress according to the invention. - Figure 10 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the ergonomic mattress according to the invention. Figure 11 is a top view of this mattress. Reference is made to the drawings to describe interesting embodiments, although in no way limiting, of the ergonomic mattress or cocoon according to the invention. According to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 9, the ergonomic mattress according to the invention consists of a block of soft plastic foam molded or cut 1 and having an upper reception surface 2 whose conformation makes it possible to contain and gather the newborn in the winding position (a position close to the fetal position). Preferably, this ergonomic mattress is made of a flexible foam having a density of between 26 g / l and 80 g / l, for example between 26 g / 1 and 37 g / l, this density being able to be determined and chosen according to weight, age and, if appropriate, the pathology of the child (hypertonia or hypotonia). It can be formed in one piece of any plastic foam having the required qualities of elasticity, resistance to crumbling, etc., and obtained by molding or by manual or automatic shaping, using any tool, apparatus or appropriate machine. It can also be constituted by the assembly of two elements shaped by molding or otherwise, so as to facilitate its adaptability to the size of the newborn, as explained below. The ergonomic mattress can, for example, be made of flexible polyurethane foam. It may have the following dimensions: an inner length of between 30 cm and 80 cm; An interior width of between 20 cm and 45 cm; a maximum height of between 6 cm and 15 cm; these dimensions being a function of the size of the child. In neonatology, it seems sufficient to be able to present only two sizes of ergonomic mattresses to be able to comfortably install all the children passing by this service, in its incubator, then in bed, the design of the mattress allowing a margin of growth of the size of the child about 15 cm. According to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 8, the receiving cavity 3A intended to receive the newborn is delimited by symmetrical curved reception surfaces on either side of the median longitudinal plane of the mattress, said cavity being delimited. by a border having a rounded tip 3a. According to the embodiment shown in Figure 9, the receiving cavity 3A 'has a flat or substantially planar surface 3b in its middle part portion for receiving the body part of the newborn between the shoulders and thighs approximately. The ergonomic mattress according to the invention may be supplemented: by one or more correction wedges, advantageously triangular in section and made preferably in a material identical to that of said mattress, these wedges being able to be placed below the a mattress for modifying the inclination of the latter with respect to the bearing surface, for example in the case of plagiocéphalies, disturbed fields of vision, or gastroesophageal reflux; and or ; by a reducer-worm allowing a perfect adaptation of the mattress to the size of the child, the reducer bead being made of a flexible material, preferably identical to that of said mattress and provided with means such as self-gripping tapes for fixing it, detachably in one end of the receiving cavity 3A or 3A '. - 10The premature baby will leave the service with a suitable cocoon and must continue to be installed in the fetal position until about four months of corrected age. The term child will be able to benefit during the first two or three months of his life, from this installation in a winding position, to allow a smooth adaptation to the outside life and to avoid the small problems that the child usually meets in the first weeks after birth, such as, for example, many of those listed above.

  According to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11, the ergonomic mattress 1 consists of two distinct elements 1A, 1B capable of being assembled with a possibility of movement relative to each other, so as to delimit a concavity or receiving depression 3B of adjustable dimensions and, also, an upper reception surface 2 ', 2 "conformation adaptable to the size of the newborn.Advantageously, this mattress comprises, on the one hand, a flexible coil 1A of rounded section (circular or otherwise) and, on the other hand, a pillow 1B provided with a receiving cavity 2 'and in which are formed two parallel or approximately parallel passages 4 in which the portions may be engaged and slide These two elements 1A, 1B may be made of a material identical to that indicated for the embodiment described above. 1A and the passages 4 have substantially identical sections so that said end portions can slide smoothly in said passages, avoiding any possibility of undesirable reciprocal movement of the two elements 1A and 1B. Advantageously, the upper reception surface 2 or 2 ', 2 "of the ergonomic mattress can be covered with a breathable, waterproof and hypoallergenic elastic paint, able to withstand disinfection treatments without altering its qualities. On the other hand, the ergonomic mattress according to the invention may further comprise a removable and flexible cover (not shown), for example executed in cotton jersey or elastic cotton sponge.The installation of the baby on the ergonomic mattress s' performs the following manner: the child is placed so that his popliteal hollows rest on the lower edge of the mattress constituting the foot end of said mattress.No moment, the child must not be able to push with his feet on this lower edge, because the fetal position would then no longer be respected, 10 so that the benefits from the mattress would be canceled.It is conceivable that the ergonomic cocoon or nest natal flexible foam according to the invention has the advantage of being movable, transportable and installable by one person, so that it can be placed on a bed, on a bed base, on the ground, in a pram, in a car gondola. He can follow baby 15 everywhere.

Claims (10)

  1. Ergonomic mattress for the installation of premature infants and infants, characterized in that it is constituted by a flexible plastic foam mattress (1) whose upper receiving surface (2, 21-2 ") is shaped to hold and gather the newborn or infant in the winding position approximating the fetal position.   2. Ergonomic mattress according to claim 1, characterized in that it is made of flexible plastic foam having a density of between 10 26 g / I and 80 g / I, and, for example, a density of between 26 g / I and 37 g / l.   3. Ergonomic mattress according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that it is executed in polyurethane foam.   4. Ergonomic mattress according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it is formed of a single piece obtained by molding, or by manual or automatic shaping.   5. Ergonomic mattress according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it consists of two separate elements (1A, 1B) adapted to be assembled with a possibility of movement with respect to the another, so as to delimit a concavity or receiving depression (3B) of adjustable dimensions and a reception surface (2'-2 ") of modifiable conformation.   6. Ergonomic mattress according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises, on the one hand, a flexible coil (1A) and, on the other hand, a pillow (1B) provided with a receiving cavity (2). ') and in which are formed two passages (4), preferably parallel or approximately parallel, in which can be engaged and slide the end portions (1A') of said flange (1A) folded U-shaped.   7. Ergonomic mattress according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that its receiving surface (2; 2'-2 ") is covered with an elastic paint, waterproof, breathable and hypoallergenic.   8. Ergonomic mattress according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it comprises a removable and flexible cover, for example executed in cotton jersey, or elastic cotton sponge.   9. Ergonomic mattress according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises a removable flexible rod-reducer provided with means for fixing, detachably, in one of the 10 ends of the cavity receiving (3), so as to allow an adaptation of the dimensions of the latter and the conformation of the reception surface to the size of the newborn.   10. Ergonomic mattress according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it comprises removable triangular wedges 15 positionable below said mattress, to change the inclination thereof relative to the surface of support.