Infant support pads

Claim 1

An infant support pad for supporting infants which lack voluntary muscle tone, comprising: a single infant sized three dimensional rectangular flexible fabric cover comprising top, bottom, side and end panels, forming a closed interior chamber, said chamber being partially filled from about 50% to about 70% of its maximum volume with generally spherical resilient plastic beads formed from expanded cellular plastic expanded to a diameter in the range of about 0.062 inches to 0.188 inches, to form substantially liquid impermeable fill for said pad and to provide a firm yet yieldable support surface which conforms to the contour of the infants body to distribute support forces uniformly thereover.

Claim 10

A method for supporting an infant in a semi Fowler's position comprising the steps of: providing a support pad comprising a single infant size three dimensional rectangular flexible fabric cover comprising top, bottom, side and end panels forming a closed interior chamber, said chamber being partially filled from about 50% to about 70% of its maximum volume with generally spherical resilient plastic beads formed from expanded cellular plastic expanded to a diameter in the range of about 0.062 inches to 0.188 inches to form substantially liquid impermeable fill for said pad and to provide a firm yet yieldable support surface which conforms to the contour of the infant's body to distribute support forces uniformly thereover; providing a recess in said pad by displacing said beads into a distributed position whereby said pad firmly supports said infant in said position for minor muscular activity without restraint; and placing said infant in said position to be supported solely by said support pad.

Claim 11

A method for supporting an infant in a semi Fowler's position comprising the steps of: providing a support pad comprising a single infant size three dimensional rectangular flexible fabric cover comprising top, bottom, side and end panels forming a closed interior chamber, said chamber being partially filled from about 50% to about 70% of its maximum volume with generally spherical resilient plastic beads formed from expanded cellular plastic expanded to a diameter in the range of about 0.062 inches to 0.188 inches to form substantially liquid impermeable fill for said pad and to provide a firm yet yieldable support surface which conforms to the contour of the infant's body to distribute support forces uniformly thereover; providing a recess in said pad by displacing said beads into a distributed position whereby said pad firmly supports said infant in said position for minor muscular activity without restraint; and placing said infant in said position to be supported solely by said support pad.

Claim 13

A method for supporting an infant in a prone position with the face free comprising the steps of: providing a support pad comprising a single infant sized three dimensional rectangular flexible fabric cover having top, bottom, side and end panels with nominal dimensions of about 20 inches to 28 inches length, 12 inches to 18 inches width and 2 inches to 4 inches depth and forming a closed interior chamber, said chamber being partially filled from about 50% to about 70% of its maximum volume with generally spherical resilient plastic beads formed from expanded cellular plastic expanded to a diameter in the range of about 0.062 inches to 0.188 inches to form substantially liquid impermeable fill for said pad and to provide a firm yet yieldable support surface which conforms to the contour of the infant's body to distribute support forces uniformly thereover; molding a recess in said pad by displacing said beads into a distributed position whereby said pad firmly supports said infant in said position for minor muscular activity without restraint; providing a bolster comprising a generally rectangular flexible fabric envelope at least partially filled with generally spherical resilient plastic beads to provide a firm yet yieldable support surface, said bolster having a length about equal to the width of said pad, a width of about 4 inches to 5 inches and a thickness of about 1.0 inches to 1.5 inches; and placing said bolster under said infant's shoulders with said infant supported on said pad in a prone position to permit the face to be free and to reduce pressure on the infant's knees.

Claim 14

A method for supporting an infant in a prone position with the face free comprising the steps of: providing a support pad comprising a single infant sized three dimensional rectangular flexible fabric cover having top, bottom, side and end panels with nominal dimensions of about 20 inches to 28 inches length, 12 inches to 18 inches width and 2 inches to 4 inches depth and forming a closed interior chamber, said chamber being partially filled from about 50% to about 70% of its maximum volume with generally spherical resilient plastic beads formed from expanded cellular plastic expanded to a diameter in the range of about 0.062 inches to 0.188 inches to form substantially liquid impermeable fill for said pad and to provide a firm yet yieldable support surface which conforms to the contour of the infant's body to distribute support forces uniformly thereover; molding a recess in said pad by displacing said beads into a distributed position whereby said pad firmly supports said infant in said position for minor muscular activity without restraint; providing a bolster comprising a generally rectangular flexible fabric envelope at least partially filled with generally spherical resilient plastic beads to provide a firm yet yieldable support surface, said bolster having a length about equal to the width of said pad, a width of about 4 inches to 5 inches and a thickness of about 1.0 inches to 1.5 inches; and placing said bolster under said infant's shoulders with said infant supported on said pad in a prone position to permit the face to be free and to reduce pressure on the infant's knees.

Claim 15

A method for supporting an infant in a substantially prone position with the face free comprising the steps of: providing a support pad comprising a single infant sized three dimensional rectangular flexible fabric cover having top, bottom, side and end panels with nominal dimensions of about 20 inches to 28 inches length, 12 inches to 18 inches width and 2 inches to 4 inches depth and forming a closed interior chamber, said chamber being partially filled from about 50% to about 70% of its maximum volume with generally spherical resilient plastic beads formed from expanded cellular plastic expanded to a diameter in the range of about 0.062 inches to 0.188 inches to form substantially liquid impermeable fill for said pad and to provide a firm yet yieldable support surface which conforms to the contour of the infant's body to distribute support forces uniformly thereover; molding a recess in said pad by displacing said beads into a distributed position whereby said pad firmly supports said infant in said position for minor muscular activity without restraint; providing a bolster comprising a rectangular flexible fabric envelope at least partially filled with generally spherical resilient plastic beads to provide a firm yet yieldable support surface, said bolster having a length about equal to the width of said pad, a width of about 4 inches to 5 inches and a thickness of about 1.0 inches to 1.5 inches; and placing said bolster under said infant's chest with said infant supported on said pad in a prone position to permit the face to be free, and to reduce pressure on the infant's knees, and to facilitate postural drainage.

Claim 16

A method for supporting an infant in a substantially prone position with the face free comprising the steps of: providing a support pad comprising a single infant sized three dimensional rectangular flexible fabric cover having top, bottom, side and end panels with nominal dimensions of about 20 inches to 28 inches length, 12 inches to 18 inches width and 2 inches to 4 inches depth and forming a closed interior chamber, said chamber being partially filled from about 50% to about 70% of its maximum volume with generally spherical resilient plastic beads formed from expanded cellular plastic expanded to a diameter in the range of about 0.062 inches to 0.188 inches to form substantially liquid impermeable fill for said pad and to provide a firm yet yieldable support surface which conforms to the contour of the infant's body to distribute support forces uniformly thereover; molding a recess in said pad by displacing said beads into a distributed position whereby said pad firmly supports said infant in said position for minor muscular activity without restraint; providing a bolster comprising a rectangular flexible fabric envelope at least partially filled with generally spherical resilient plastic beads to provide a firm yet yieldable support surface, said bolster having a length about equal to the width of said pad, a width of about 4 inches to 5 inches and a thickness of about 1.0 inches to 1.5 inches; and placing said bolster under said infant's chest with said infant supported on said pad in a prone position to permit the face to be free, and to reduce pressure on the infant's knees, and to facilitate postural drainage.

Claim 17

A method for supporting an infant in a lateral position with the face free comprising the steps of: providing a support pad comprising a single infant sized three dimensional rectangular flexible fabric cover having top, bottom, side and end panels with nominal dimensions of about 20 inches to 28 inches length, 12 inches to 18 inches width and 2 inches to 4 inches depth and forming a closed interior chamber, said chamber being partially filled from about 50% to about 70% of its maximum volume with generally spherical resilient plastic beads formed from expanded cellular plastic expanded to a diameter in the range of about 0.062 inches to 0.188 inches to form substantially liquid impermeable fill for said pad and to provide a firm yet yieldable support surface which conforms to the contour of the infant's body to distribute support forces uniformly thereover; forming a longitudinally extending recess in said pad by displacing said beads into a distributed position whereby said pad firmly supports said infant in said position for minor muscular activity without restraint but preventing said infant from rolling into a supine or prone position; and placing said infant in said lateral position to be supported by said support pad.

Claim 18

A method for supporting an infant in a lateral position with the face free comprising the steps of: providing a support pad comprising a single infant sized three dimensional rectangular flexible fabric cover having top, bottom, side and end panels with nominal dimensions of about 20 inches to 28 inches length, 12 inches to 18 inches width and 2 inches to 4 inches depth and forming a closed interior chamber, said chamber being partially filled from about 50% to about 70% of its maximum volume with generally spherical resilient plastic beads formed from expanded cellular plastic expanded to a diameter in the range of about 0.062 inches to 0.188 inches to form substantially liquid impermeable fill for said pad and to provide a firm yet yieldable support surface which conforms to the contour of the infant's body to distribute support forces uniformly thereover; forming a longitudinally extending recess in said pad by displacing said beads into a distributed position whereby said pad firmly supports said infant in said position for minor muscular activity without restraint but preventing said infant from rolling into a supine or prone position; and placing said infant in said lateral position to be supported by said support pad.