Weighted blankets provide deep tactile input to the skin, joints, and muscles that helps tell the brain to relax and tells our central nervous system to switch from our “fight or flight” state to a parasympathetic state where our heart rates slow and we are able to calm ourselves down. These blankets are used for calming input to help a child “slow their body down”.
Weighted blankets for children should not exceed 10% of their body weight for safety. Weighted blankets should be a comfortable compression, not so heavy that they cannot be easily taken off by a child or inhibit their movement.