Weighted Blankets and More

This is another parent request for a post, this time I was asked about weighted blankets. Here are some articles that reference weighted blankets:

• AOTA Presentation about Weighted Blankets
  
• Blankets with Weights Help Calm and Sooth Mental Health Patients
• Calming Effects of Deep Pressure Touch
  
• Exploring the Safety and Theraputic Effects of a Weighted Blanket
• Hospital Trying Blanket Therapy
  
• Soothing High Anxiety with a Huggable Blanket
• Understanding Sensory Stimulation
  
• Weighted Vests and Other Sensory Interventions at the Dentists Office
• Weighted Blankets can Increase Melatonin Production
  

Here are companies who sell weighted blankets and other materials (price listed is for a twin size blanket):

• Affordable Weighted Blankets
• Bella
  
• Cozy Calm
  
• Dream Catcher Weighted Blankets
• Quiet Quilt
  
• Salt of the Earth Weighted Gear
• Sammons Preston
  
• Sommerfly
• South Paw
  
• Special Creation
  
• Therapeutic Threads
• Therapy Threads
  
• The Magic Blanket

Here are directions to make your own.

Although most studies seem to find weighted blankets to be safe there is a need to follow some guidelines with there use. The most important thing to remember, in my opinion are that weighted blankets are a sensory tool, NEVER a restraint or punishment. Here are the recommendations made by the Autism Society of Canada:

• A health professional’s advice must be obtained to ensure that the use of the blanket is suitable for the child
• The weight of the blanket must be in proportion of the child’s physique and weight
• The child’s head must never be, or be able to be, covered by the blanket
• Vital signs should always be observable
• The child must never be rolled in a blanket (unless a therapist is constantly at his or her side)
• A child must never be left unsupervised
• The child must be able to easily slip out of the blanket if he or she wishes to do so (it is not a confinement)
• The child must express his or her consent to this, even if it is not verbal

(Autism Society Canada, 2008)