'Horrifying' mess found in son's bed 'more common than you think'
The mum's shocking find raised concerns for the health of Aussie kids.
"Breakfast in bed" has been given a whole new meaning after an Aussie mum's shocking discovery in her son's bed, with parents being warned against letting kids sleep on latex pillows.
While stripping the sheets in her child's room, the Sydney woman was met with a "horrifying mess" staring back at her. Wondering what it was, she took to social media for answers.
What was once a latex pillow by the popular brand Dunlopillo now resembles a "crumpet or a piece of multigrain bread" online observers concluded after the baffled mum asked "any ideas what it could be?".
"Found this horrifying mess inside a Dunlopillo latex pillow I’ve had for years. Son sleeps on it and sweats heaps," she posted in the Inner West Mums Facebook group. While most agreed the sight was "disgusting" and urged her to "throw it away", some had other ideas.
"Omg I thought it was a loaf of multigrain bread," said one. "I thought it was crumpets," admitted another hungry Sydneysider.
And while photos of the pillow might have tricked the internet, at least just for a moment, there's a simple explanation for the "gross" looking pillow — and it happens "often" according to some who have seen it before.
Latex can 'melt' in extreme heat
It appears the boy's pillow has succumbed to the hot Sydney sun with the mum later admitting she'd left it outside to air causing the latex to melt. Sydney has already experienced a hotter than usual summer with some parts of the city hitting more than 40 degrees. Latex foam is highly sensitive to sunlight and extreme heat should be avoided.
"As you’re probably aware latex comes from a rubber tree, so rubber melts... my guess is you’ve left it in extreme heat or put in the dryer after washing?" one person suggested in the comments. The "horrifying mess" is also caused by sweat and moisture with the mum blaming her son's "sweatfest".
"This is moisture decay, bin and replace. Can cause breathing issues as well as health issues," one person warned. "Men sweat more than women, as such could be from sweat, cold environment and open windows/air cons.
"It is more common than you think," they added. "Working with manchester for 15 years, I have seen it often."
Why kids should not sleep on latex pillows
A chemist chimed in to say children should not be sleeping on latex pillows and claimed it could cause significant health issues.
"I would say that teen kids and especially ones who sweat a fair amount in a country hotter than the average country should NOT be sleeping on latex," they said.
"It doesn’t breathe, they sweat a lot — where do you think that sweat goes? Into the holes. What do you think happens to sebum and sweat inside holes in latex? Moisture and mould. So effectively, your kid is breathing in mould, and potentially black mould."
Another revealed they too experienced the same thing and said Dunlopillo confirmed "it was due to things like sweat, wet hair or product used on the hair". "They suggested using pillow protectors to stop moisture from absorbing into the pillow. They sent me a new pillow as it was within warranty," they added.
Yahoo News Australia contacted Dunlopillo's parent company The Comfort Group for comment.
How often should we be replacing our pillows?
According to the Sleep Foundation, latex pillows should be replaced every two to four years. Sleep expert Rachel Beard told Yahoo News Australia one of the most common signs of an old or unhygienic pillow is when it starts to turn yellow.
"This is thanks to a mix of sweat, saliva, skincare and haircare, skin oils, and moisture from humidity or sleeping with damp hair or beard," the Sleep Wellness Manager said.
"Not only are yellow and old pillows unsightly, but they’re also bad for our health. Over time, dust mites, mildew, and a whole array of other allergens can build up in a pillow and can cause allergic reactions or respiratory distress that make it harder to not only fall asleep, but also stay asleep through the night.
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