Weighted blanket for kids have many health related benefits, especially if they’re autistic, ADHD, or suffer from anxiety. Here is everything you need to know about buying your child’s first weighted blanket.
Is your child sleeping well?
I know this question doesn’t seem like much, but when your child suffers from autism, ADHD, depression, anxiety, sensory processing issues, or chronic insomnia, then gifting your child a weighted blanket may help.
Snuggle up in bed and having a great night’s rest is what I wish for your children and mine. Could a weighted blanket solve your child’s sleeping problems? Here, I explain everything you need to know about weighted blankets, and why I feel they are worth it!
What Are Weighted Blankets?
Weighted blankets offer deep pressure stimulation, which helps your child to feel calm and safe.
Researchers have found that deep-pressure touch (think big bear hug) helps to release the neurotransmitter serotonin, a natural mood stabilizer that helps to reduce anxiety and create an overall feeling of calm and peace.
Some scientists believe that children who have autism, ADHD and anxiety struggle with the production of natural serotonin, which can make controlling their mood and processing external information difficult, which is why a weight blanket is often recommended.
What Does A Weighted Blanket Do For A Child?
These incredible blankets are often known as sensory blankets, or calming blankets.
They are proven to have a wide range of positive effects. The majority of benefits that come from weighted blankets is their ability to release serotonin.
This magical chemical that is released by the brain, is often casually called the happy chemical, and contributes to your body’s well-being and happiness.
Think about any hug you’ve ever received.
The tension in your body just suddenly melts away and you become filled with a sense of calm.
HOW WILL MY CHILD BENEFIT FROM A WEIGHTED BLANKET?
Weighted blankets may improve the quality of your child’s sleep.
It’s important to get the right amount of sleep, but more so if your sleep is restful. Good quality of sleep will enable your children to feel energized and refreshed for the next day.
Falling asleep under a weighted blanket enables your child to fall asleep faster, sleep longer, and your child may feel better rested.
A surprising positive effect of using a weighted blanket is a mood boost.
It’s normal for children (and adults) to feel low at times or a bit grouchy. But, when your child is suffering from depression or anxiety, these blankets may help boost your child’s mood and bring a little more happiness to them.
For example, if your child’s brain isn’t producing enough serotonin, it can actually impact their emotional health.
While the weighted blanket isn’t a cure for long term mental health issues, such as stress, depression, or anxiety, these blankets can be a tool to cope and help regulate these emotions.
WEIGHTED BLANKETS FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW!
Weighted blankets were originally created to help children who suffer from autism.
Since their creation, the blankets have proven to have a plethora of other positive benefits for all ages!
A weighted blanket can help your child with autism focus in the classroom.
The lap pads are popular with children with autism in an educational setting.
The lap pads also have immediate long-term effects, which can assist with mood regulation and impulse control. The touch therapy technique the blanket provides is a reassuring boost and assists in helping children to focus.
Special education classrooms have used weighted lap blankets for years, to help children feel less anxious and feel more focused during lesson time.
WEIGHTED BLANKET BENEFITS FOR CHILDREN WITH INSOMNIA/PTSD
The world is a beautiful place. However, this might not be the experience for every child, especially those who suffer from PTSD due to a traumatic or stressful event.
Unfortunately, we live in a world that our children can be exposed to events outside of our (and their) control.
One of the symptoms of PTSD is insomnia. Your child’s comforting weighted blanket may help ease their insomnia.
The weighted blankets come in a wide spectrum of colors and patterns. The designs can suit your child and their personality perfectly (I share my favorite weighted blankets for kids later in this post).
WHO SHOULD NOT USE A WEIGHTED BLANKET?
There are a few cautions you need to consider when looking at weighted blankets.
It’s important to choose the correct blanket for your child. Choosing the correct weighted blanket will give your child the most benefit and avoid the dangers that are shared so widely.
The recommended weight by professionals is no more than 10% of your child’s body weight.
PRO TIP: Check the weight of the blanket is suitable for your child. Too heavy could feel restraining and eventually cause pain.
Blankets can be as heavy as 30lbs for adults. Children’s blankets often begin at 2lbs and regularly increase to 15lbs.
Make sure that the child can remove the blanket on their own. It’s important the child feels safe, and to make the most of the blanket and to be sure the blanket isn’t too heavy for your child.
Weighted blankets are usually more expensive than traditional quilts, the price difference can be worth it.
Be sure to read the manufacturer’s recommendations. Most blankets, even ones made specifically for children, are not recommended for those aged under 2 years old.
HOW HEAVY SHOULD A WEIGHTED BLANKET BE FOR A CHILD?
A general rule of thumb is that the blanket should be no more than 10% of your child’s body weight. When buying any blanket for your child, be sure to buy the appropriate size to avoid excessive material.
RECAP: HOW DO WEIGHT BLANKETS WORK AGAIN?
Weighted blankets are designed to hug you back. It is an at-home (and even at-school) resource that can be utilized to assist your child through many emotional situations. They help ease your child’s meltdown and give them a hug they know will always be there.
There is a wide choice of weighted blankets on the market, they all have an internal liner filled with weighted material, often small material, such as plastic beads. The outer material can consist of any type of fabric such as cotton or flannel.
Don’t forget to check that the blanket you’re buying for your child is washable because not all blankets are machine washable.
This weighted blanket is awesome in so many ways, but there are two main reasons why this blanket is better than all the rest;
Their blanket has two different feels on either side (in classic Layla fashion). One side of the blanket is a 300 TC cotton and the other side is a plush poly/mink fabric, so you get to choose the feel you want closest to your body.
They use micro glass beads for our fill. Glass beads are much finer, smoother, and more quiet than other fillings, such as plastic pellets that are lumpy and make a significant amount of noise when moved.
Immerse your child in Saranoni softness and comfort with the most luxurious weighted blanket out there. Their silky soft lush fabric is now available as a cover for their new weighted blanket.
The calming weighted effect creates pressure on the body that mimics the feeling of being hugged and encourages deep relaxation. The stylish duvet cover provides an irresistible silky softness against your skin and looks beautiful in any home.
This throw weighted blanket measures 50” x 60” and weighs approximately 11lbs with insert & cover. Perfect for older kids and smaller adults. Because of the higher weight, this weighted blanket is not recommended for children 5 and under.
This charcoal is a rich deep gray that has removable silky soft polymicrofiber cover, invisiible zipper for insert access, and is machine washable on cold.
If your kids are struggling with stress or not getting proper sleep each night, Gravity Kids is here to help.
It provides the same stress-reducing and sleep-enhancing benefits as their world famous blanket but in a safe format for children ages 7 and up. Your child will look forward to bedtime every night with Gravity Kids.
Their glass beads are more comfortable and durable than plastic beads that may be found in other weighted blankets. The smallest size in the LUNA Kids weighted blanket is 5 pounds.
I love this because you can remove the cover for easy washing, while protecting and maintaining the integrity of the glass beads, giving you easy maintenance and protecting your blanket from repeated washing.
Starting at 3 pounds, the best part of the Sivio kids weighted blanket is the 4” x 4” pockets that are much smaller so that the weight is more evenly distributed and the glass beads won’t cause any noise.
Made of 100% cotton, the blanket is super soft to the touch and provides a light sensation on your skin. It is also wrinkle free and smartly dyed to maintain color that remains new and fresh after each wash.
An all-natural solution for hyper-active children with sleeping troubles via stable and comfortable pressure to calm them down for a faster sleep. Weighted blankets give the evenly pressure, which can be very calming and relaxing , that’s why weighted blankets can be used to relax at any time, not just for sleep.
Both sides are made of smooth fleece fabric without pilling, which care every inch of your child’s skin with extra warmth. And the wrinkle-free and anti-static features add more comfort.
The stitching of the Florensi weighted blanket is sturdy and the ergonomic 4″ design helps ensure that the blanket hugs the body, while providing an equal distribution of weight across the body.
The small stitched areas help beads stay put within the designated area, preventing leakage and ensuring quality. This blanket weighted blanket and blanket covers are machine washable with the cover being made from ultra-soft minky material.
Hiseeme weighted blanket is made of 100% breathable natural cotton. Cool and smooth material that is both durable, wrinkle-free, easy to clean and dry and provide better temperature control, keep the children cool all night and prevent them from tossing and turning in their sleep due to sweat.
At the same time, they designed lovely patterns to satisfy children’s curiosity about the world.
This super soft weighted blanket is a warm and cozy way to help kids feel more secure while resting, sleeping, traveling, or cuddling up to watch Paw Patrol. It’s designed to apply gentle, even pressure that mimics the feeling of being hugged.
The safe, durable design features glass beads that are securely contained within the blanket’s inner pockets.
Keep your child warm and comfortable with this Minnie Mouse Weighted Blanket!This blanket is designed to give your child the comforting and relaxing feeling of a warm hug.
Measuring at 36″ x 48″ and filled with glass beads for a total weight of 4.5 pounds, this blanket applies the perfect and even amount of weight over your child’s body while keeping safety and quality in mind.
If your child is a JoJo Siwa fan, then they’ll love her weighted blanket. The front outer shell of this blanket is made with a soft micromink printed material, and the reverse a coral fleece, to create a soothing feeling, perfect for everyday use.
This blanket is designed to give your child the comforting and relaxing feeling of a warm hug. Measuring at 36″ x 48″ and filled with glass beads for a total weight of 4.5 pounds, this blanket applies the perfect and even amount of weight over your child’s body while keeping safety and quality in mind.
This super soft micro plush weighted blanket is a warm and cozy way to help kids feel more secure while resting, sleeping, traveling, or cuddling up to watch the Baby Shark video.
Your little princess will feel safe and sound tucked into the soft and cozy comfort of thisDisney Frozen weighted blanket. Featuring Anna and Elsa on a beautiful wintry sunset backdrop design with an inspiring “Trust Your Journey” message, this colorful weighted blanket is sure to be a hit with young Frozen fans.
To provide optimal weight distribution, this blanket is smaller than a traditional twin size blanket. Measuring 36″ x 48″, it functions by primarily covering the body only, and can be used in addition to traditional blankets and bedding.
Keep your child warm and comfortable with this Avengers Weighted Blanket, featuring their favorite superheroes in the classic comic book design! This blanket is designed to give your child the comforting and relaxing feeling of a warm hug.
Measuring at 36″ x 48″ and filled with glass beads for a total weight of 4.5 pounds, this Avengers Super Hero blanket applies the perfect and even amount of weight over your child’s body while keeping safety and quality in mind.
The front outer shell of this blanket is made with a soft micromink printed material, and the reverse a coral fleece, to create a soothing feeling, perfect for everyday use.
A solid pink reverse side keeps the “Pretty In Pastel” style going.
This super soft weighted blanket is a warm and cozy way to help kids feel more secure while resting, sleeping, traveling, or cuddling up with their favorite L. O. L. Surprise! dolls. It’s designed to apply gentle, even pressure that mimics the feeling of being hugged.
Micah Klug is a wife, homeschooling mother to five children, and author. She teaches time-tested solutions to help parents remember what matters most in life, including strengthening their home, faith, and family relationships. To learn how a child who grew up in an authoritarian home is now creating an environment of peace and joy in her own home visit this page. If you want to contact Micah, send her an email here or email [email protected].
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