Weighted blanket for reading time…

 

The OT child was loving the 10 pound weighted blanket (distributed weight) while reading 🙂 The child chooses that spot and blanket each time for a calming experience. I know the evidence on weighted blankets is spotty, but from an anecdotal perspective, I have some OT kids that really benefit from the weight when working.  Make sure to follow basic safety precautions and understand what you are doing before you just go randomly throw a weighted blanket at a child – speak to an OT.

By the way, I know they typically recommend blankets at like 3-5% of a child’s weight, but I don’t fully grasp the logic. If a child is going to lie down and have a distributed-weight blanket put on top of them for just a few minute at a time and will not be weight-bearing, and has no physical issues, and an OT is sitting beside them for that short period of time…even my youngest children, ie Kindergarten level, like the 10 pounds blanket which far exceeds the 5% recommendation. (Only some of my childen like it but those that do LOVE it.)

Any OTs out there want to chime in on their thoughts on acceptable weight percentages for the above scenario of short, supervised, non weight-bearing situations?

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Oct 14, 2012 | Category: Occupational Therapy | Comments: 1