Weighted Blankets?

Does anyone here use one?

I have an appt with a child psych etc for Beth in 2 weeks. I called in desperation on Friday because after making good progress over the last month or so, we are going backwards again and the sleeplessness/night terrors are on a new level :wall:.

She suggested maybe using a weighted blanket to help her feel centred and grounded when she is horizontal, so I was going to make one and use lavender and rice for the weight.

Would that be ok? On some website it said you shouldn't use rice but I can't see why...

I am not really sure what a weighted blanket is exactly, but I would say they suggest no rice because it it gets a hole in it or they get it out somehow they could choke on it?

But if it helps with the night terrors, I dont see how it can hurt trying.

Maybe try some light curtain weights Lu - that way if the blanket get's chucked around it won't hurt anyone but it'll still have the same effect.....

Love the lavender idea .... very calming

We use weights in Matilda's blankets now. We were told to tuck her in as tight as we can and buy a weighted blanket. We couldn't afford the $200 for the proper one... but what I did was take my wheat bags and I used bandaging tape and taped them to the top of the blanket. She loves it! She loves them best on top of her belly, but it works well with getting Matilda to sleep. Also I do a chinese massage technique to centre her and that is rubbing hard down the side of her body while she is laying in bed. I rub from her shoulder to her toes with a heavy hand. I do it around 10 times to "ground" her.

I am just finishing up a blanket/quilt I have made for my DS and I am faced with the same problem. I think the issue is with them choking as Lime said so I guess it depends on age.

What is the purpose of a weighted blanket? I think I get it, but Im not sure...
Where do the weights go, on the top of them or around the edges of the blanket?

We use a weighted blanket as my son has autism and one of the coinciding issues is what is called sensory processing disorder. If you think of your five senses, sight, taste, hearing, touch etc these kids expereince information through their sense organs differently. They might under feel it or over feel it so a child with a hypersensitivity to touch might not like to be touched a child with hypo sensitivity seeks firm pressure and deep pressure. We also look at two extra senses that of proproceptive and darn it I've forgotten - basically the feelings of spinning/heights/being verticle/horizontal and the feelings registered by their ligaments and tendons - basically how their body moves and receives information from their muscles about how they move.

A weighted blanket is designed to apply about 10% of a childs body weight to calm or fill a sensory need such as deep pressure. My son currently uses wheat bags on his lap or his fav on his head :-) God love him

Thanks Sarah :) That makes a lot of sense - something I wouldn't have thought about.

I've put some rice into old stocking legs and tied knots along the way to keep it even, then sewed in one lot across the bottom of the cot blanket cover, and will put another 2 across her chest area.
The rice shouldn't escape then. She is in a big bed but the cot cover is just the right size to get all the right places.

Geez, they are expensive online! It didn't take much to make this one up, thank goodness.

Her ears are very, very sensitive too, and it seems she can't lie still horizontally - I hope this helps, I'm starting the new bedtime routine this week.

are her ears sensitive in terms of hears noises that others don't/don't worry others? If this is the case, you can try ear plugs. ear plugs you can still hear stuff, but can drown out the white noise.

I have a neuro condition and have at times hyper stimulated limbs. Feels like neurons are waving in the air. You can get really expensive 'second skin' outfits, but tubal bandage does a similar thing. Just by having the bandage firm on the skin, it reduces all the sensory input.

Thanks Kate - that is really interesting to hear it from your point of view.