Weighted Blankets

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Just finished making a weighted blanket, I cannot believe the difference! My 5yo daughter, undiagnosed as yet but we suspect an ASD of some sort, spends all day spinning around, flopping on the floor, shouting, squealing, wriggling, generally fidgeting and making noise of some sort, it never seems to stop, even when shes asleep or eating theres noise and or movement. As soon as we put the blanket on her she calmed down and lay for an hour watching tv, she never does that!! When we took it off so she could get up and eat lunch she was quiet and subdued, ate her lunch well too. She seemed to answer questions and listen better too

Yeah! Thanks for sharing about your success.

Happy for both of you! Have you tried heavy work activities with her? They might also be helpful.

How did you make it? I'm keen to try one out for my son

Hi, no Ive not heard of heavy work activity? Will have a google

We took a duvet (can also use a duvet cover) and unpicked the channeling. Emptied the fluff out and sewed vertical channels down the length of it. You can do this by halving it, then halvin each half and so on. Then fill the columns eauqally with plastic pellets (used for weighting dolls, you can buy these at Hobby Lobby in the US but we are in UK and got them off ebay). Then we sewed the open top up. Then began halving the pellets and sewing horizontal lines. Then repeated until the pockets were small enough to allow an even distribution of pellets. We finished it off with a nice duvet cover with bugs on (her favourite thing!) to make it look nice. This is a single bed sized blanket so its huge. Cost about £35 instead of buying one for £150. We are also going to make a smaller one out of a pillow case in the same bug print. The big one will go on her bed and the little one can be for in the car, taking to sleep overs at the grandparents or for sitting in front of the tv

Heres a link to a youtube video that we used for inspiration, there are lots of others out there too:

Weighted Blanket Video

"Heavy work activity" is an OT-type terminology. It generally involves sensory input and often helps organize the child. You will find LOTS of information on the internet. I found it extremely helpful for both of my kids. Jumping and squishing were two really good ones for my daughter, and my son did well with physical exertion things such as pulling weighted objects around (like his sister on a blanket! LOL). It can be very simple and fun. Good luck!

Thanks ConfusedNewb I'm definately going to give this a go, watching the way my boy likes to snuggle down under blankets even during the day makes me think this is going to be very worthwhile doing..

Ok great thanks InThisTogether! Will give it a go She does a lot of spinning and rolling as it is so Im sure she will enjoy it.

nostromo, glad it was of use and hope he likes it! We have used it a few times and it still has the same effect. Before this she would never sit still long enough to watch a film. Its strange, she didnt look like herself, she looked so relaxed her face changed, I took a photo and for once shes not stimming at the camera lol, it was actually a really nice shot!

I have always wanted to buy or make one of these. I know my daughter would love it (it meaning the bed sheets)

http://www.etsy.com/shop/skweezrs

Heh...I used to post to a different site, but these ones look so much more "fun" due to all the colors!

OMG look amazing! Yes my daughter would love one, shes always rubbing her head on things and going under the covers!