Page 1 of 1 [ 16 posts ] 

sommerfly
Emu Egg
Emu Egg

User avatar

Joined: 25 May 2010
Gender: Female
Posts: 4

26 May 2010, 8:58 am

There is a misconception out there with many people making weighted products as well as in the OT Community that 10% of a person's weight is a good recommendation for a weighted blanket. This was based on research that was done on Backpacks and other objects that are used in a standing or weight bearing position. Up until recently there was no research on weighted blankets so this 10% became the conventional wisdom. There have now been a few weighted blanket studies done and they have all been done by an OT in Massachusetts named Tina Champagne. Basically she found that much more weight is safe, effective and actually preferred by the participants in her study. The most important thing is that the person can still remove the blanket themselves. For some recommendations of commonly effective and appropriate weights you can check out Sommerfly. These recommendations are based on years of OT experience in a clinic setting. A few other important things to keep in mind when selecting a weighted blanket are: washable, safe weighting material, soft calming non-distracting fabric and look for innovative designs.