Weighted Blanket

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I've noticed my son likes to pull my buckwheat pillow over him to go to sleep.
I remember rolling up in a wool braided rug to sleep when I was little. It made me totally relax and felt so safe, blocked out the world.
Anyway I think my son would benefit from a weighted blanket.
I have some questions.
How heavy/big should it be?
He is almost 3 and weighs about 30 pounds
Also where can I get one that is good quality and reasonably priced? Our insurance won't cover the cost.

We got our's here
Dream Catcher Weighted Blankets
It was not cheap but it is very good quality. The salesperson I talked to recommended the right weight for us based on my son's age and weight and needs. I believe ours is 8 lbs. When we bought it almost a year ago, DS was 5 yo and about 40-45 lbs.

Thanks I'll check it out

I don't have the extreme need that many others on the spectrum have for weighted blankets, but a heavier blanket does make me feel better. I have a nice, weighty comforter that I use with blankets. However, in warm weather, it's not possible for me to use it. I use several industrial fans instead of the A/C, which kept breaking down. The fans work good, but I still won't use the comforter while running the fans. Industrial fans are a lot cheaper to run than the A/C, and don't keep breaking down. If you have enough of them around the house, they can do a good job. I have three industrial fans, in different rooms, plus the overhead kitchen fan/light. I will sometimes use one blanket with one of the fans, if it is cool, but I expect it to warm up before I wake up. I have an irregular sleep/wake pattern due to several health issues, so I go to sleep and wake at any hour of the day/night. I do like having a blanket on, but in the heat and humidity we've been having, I've had to mostly do without.

Perhaps this comfort/security feeling with blankets is a hold over from when we were enclosed in the womb. Many people on the spectrum may have a need to continue this safe, comfortable, enclosed feeling when resting or stressed. I am fortunate that my need for this is not overwhelming. I am able to sleep without a blanket when it is too hot for one, but it does feel better to have one on.

There is no harm in using a weighted blanket, as long as it's not too heavy or too confining for the size of the person using it. This is something harmless that can help people rest better and de-stress, too, so if you think your son would benefit from it, go for it. From what you described, it sounds like he may like a weighted blankie.

My son's Occupational Therapist lent us a weighted blanket to try before buying one.

I'm very glad she did as my son didn't like it at all. He didn't like the texture of the fabric it was covered in, and he didn't like the large granular texture of the weighted aspect of it.

Instead, he has a sleeping bag, and I stuff his duvet into it after he's got in so he gets the 'squeezed' sensation that he craves.

If your son is particularly sensitive to textures, then I'd recommend you ask about that or maybe they could send you as small square as a sample to test.

He doesn't seem to be sensitive to textures thus far.
I wonder if I could make a blanket with buckwheat husks.
He LOVES being under that pillow and it is really heavy but just cotton ticking and a cotton pillow case.

questor

I have a heavy comforter that I roll up in. I will do this even in hot weather.
But I don't HAVE to have it. It just takes me about an hour to go to sleep where I sleep quickly when I am bundled up.

I used to pretend I was an animal in a tunnel that was safe from predators when I was wrapped up in the wool rug.

Just a couple weeks ago someone posted a link to instructions for making your own weighted blanket. Try searching for that, i bet you could use the buckwheat husks.

I found the link Sew a Weighted Blanket

Thanks

My mother made my son a quilt with the inner lining as an old wool army blanket. The wool blanket is totally on the inside so no wool to touch his skin. He loves the weight of the heavy old wool blanket and the feel of the cotton quilt.

Check out Peace Weighted Blankets (that's the website name but I'm a newbie so I can't post it )

My son has pdd-nos and loves his weighted blanket. He didn't take to it right away but now he lays down at bedtime and tells me to put it on him. I suggest getting a character your son likes, I think that helps. We got curious george.

I think the weight is one pound per every ten pounds of the child's weight plus one additional pound. My son is the same weight as yours and ours is 4 pounds.

ooh...sorry OT but my 4yr old (with PDDNOS) loves curious george too. It's his new fascination (joins his much loved Charlie and Lola interest). I love to watch him watch those DVDs, he laughs and laughs.

On the topic of weighted blankets, I read somewhere about natural type fillings may have mould problems if used in a blanket. I like the idea from eureka-c, using the old woollen blanket and covering it in a cotton cover, those things are quite heavy, especially for a small child. Think I'll try that, thanks!

How about this?

http://www.laceandfabric.com/Lycra-Whit ... dsheet.htm

The site actually has other autistic-friendly products.

There are also a number of vendors on etsy that offer weighted blankets. The prices there might be a bit more competitive.

www.etsy.com

ETA how big should one of these be for a 5 year old?

I think weighted blankets are ridiculously priced. We purchased the same blanket I used when I was little, which I loved for the same reason. Walmart and other stores sell cheap 100% knitted type blankets...they are very heavy when you fold them...that is what our son has used for years...it works great.

They are actually not overpriced if you consider that a vast majority of them are handmade. After looking into the materials and the amount of time it would take to make one, I decided I'm probably going to buy one. 5 lbs of the poly pellets alone will cost close to $20. Add in a nice premium fabric (the kids will use it for a long time after all), a few yards of it and that is easily another $20 even with a 50% coupon at jo anns. That's already $40 and haven't bought thread or batting if it's desired. Now the time to make it is quite a bit because each pocket or row of pockets is filled as you go so you have to be careful not to spill the beans. Anyway $80 -100 is not unreasonable once you include the time to make it and a reasonable profit.