How to Select A Wighted Blanket? Why?
Hello Beautiful!
You may have heard about weighted blankets. If you have not, not to worry, weighted blankets are used for children or adults who may suffer from anxiety, ADHD, or sleep issues, restless leg syndrome, fibromyalgia pain, dementia, and any sensory sensitivity. Because of this, lately, it has been receiving lots of attention and accolades from everyone and anyone who uses it.
So what are weighted blankets and why can’t you just use a regular blanket or many blankets to simulate a weighted blanket?
These weighted blankets are heavier than your regular blanket but light enough to cover you along with your covers. They usually start at 5lbs and then go up in weight, and some not only weigh heavier but also have beads or other sensory objects inside. These weighted blankets can go up to adult size but only as long and wide to your body size. They do not take over your covers or blankets, and therefore cannot be used alone for sleeping (unless you don’t like a lot of cover on top of you). They also can machine washable (my favorite type!).
It is specifically designed for the weight to help the body with deep touch stimulation (DTP), which tells the brain to release neurotransmitters like serotonin (which converts into melatonin) and dopamine to calm down and feel peaceful. It also tells the body that it is safe by allowing the weight to help the child or adult be aware of his/her body, where they are, and being present with what is happening to him/her.
Now you may be saying… hmmm… really?
Many studies have shown that yes these weighted blankets do provide not only the many benefits mentioned above but also help with anxiety, ADHD and sensory disorders. This is the reason why many special abilities experts recommend them to parents and to school administrators for years.
Honestly, I didn’t know much about the weighted blankets, until when Nature Boy’s OT (occupational therapist) told me that he will need to upgrade not only to brushing at night (that’s for another post) but also would need a weighted blanket for sleep and to do “focus centric” activities (i.e. homework).
At first, I thought it was weird, but….
Let me tell you, I became such a fan of how much it was helping Nature Boy that I immediately thereafter bought one for Darling Belle, Sweet Poppy, and Genious Spielberg. And then I saw them blissfully wanting to go to sleep and grab for them when they needed to calm down or for the “wiggles.”
So I can tell you from experience they do work. Heck, truth be told that there are times when I grab one myself to calm down and self-care.
And the best thing about it is that they are not cost-prohibitive (they ranged from $20 - $100 depending on the size and weight) and you can get it from amazon.com. Yep, just one click away.
And if you want to create one yourself, here is a no-sew option for you.
How do you determine what type to get?
Consider the weight that you or your child needs. The Royal College of Occupational Therapy (RCOT), suggests
For children: 10% of a child’s body weight, plus 1 or 2 pounds.
For adults: 10% of the ideal body weight
Decide on the fabric for your needs -
if you or child tends to overheat, get breathable cotton, if you want to be warm and cozy try fleece or minky
Choose a filling -
my daughter loves the beads inside her blanket but there are so many options. For starters, there is pellets, glass beads, sand, plastic poly pellets, barley, rice, etc.
Do you want it machine washable or not?
If you want it to be machine washable avoid the barley, rice, glass beads, sand, and any other natural filling.
If you want it machine-washable then choose the 100% virgin polypropylene pellets option since these reduce the chances of mold & bacteria to form while still being able to be washed.
Do you need it for a specific disorder or reason? If so, ask a specialist - or your child’s specialist for the type that they would recommend based on the specific needs of the child.
Can this blanket be carried or removed by my child? Check number 1 for the recommended weight of the blanket, but ultimately it’s up to your child and how heavy she can carry and handle.
A few things to note
For starters, do not buy a weighted blanket for an infant. Children under the age of 2 are still developing their bodies and the weight may not be good for them. Only use it for children 2+ -4 if ok’d &/or recommended by a doctor. The best time to use it is 5+. But always check with your and your child’s doctor.
Also, do not use it with another weighted product. It may be too much pressure for yourself or your child because it may do the opposite effect of what it needs to achieve. Too much weight may be too intense for the body to handle and tell the brain that it is not safe and the anxiety may increase. And we don’t want that.
Always ensure that the face and head are not covered. We want you and your little ones to be safe. And at first only use the blankets in stints of time, not for a prolonged time period. Why? Because the body & brain needs to first get acclimated to the new sensation and the only way to do that is by using it at specific times and then easing into long period use. And always, always supervise your child at any time to make sure that they are feeling good and are calming down.
XOXO,
Clara
For more research-based details go here:
http://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/pdfs/Insomnia.pdf
https://www.jscimedcentral.com/SleepMedicine/sleepmedicine-2-1022.pdf
http://www.grandin.com/inc/squeeze.html
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1380/9417/files/Deep_Touch_Pressure_Study.pdf?2268144407711311749
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1039856212459585#cited-by
https://www.thecut.com/2017/10/the-vicious-cycle-of-insomnia-and-sleeping-pills.html
For the recommended weight level depending on the person:
https://weightedblanketsforkids.com/what-size-weighted-blanket-should-i-get
https://www.mosaicweightedblankets.com/pages/choosing-a-weighted-blanket
Disregard the offer of joining (unless you want to), and go to the bottom of the article to get the diagram of the recommendation.