The Weighted Blanket Guide: Everything You Need to Know about Weighted Blankets and Deep Pressure for Autism, Chronic Pain, and Other Conditions

This concise guide provides everything you need to know about deep pressure and using weighted blankets to help with sensory integration, improve sleep, lessen anxiety, ease chronic pain, and more. Based on up-to-date research, it dispels online myths and provides reliable information on selecting safe and effective weighted blankets.

1. What Is a Weighted Blanket? 1.1. What Is a Weighted Blanket? 1.2. What Are They Used For? 1.2.1. Sleep. 1.2.2. Chronic Pain. 1.2.3. Anxiety. 1.2.4. Autism. 1.2.5. Alzheimer's/Dementia/Seniors. 1.2.6. Mental Illnesses. 1.2.7. Special Education. 2. Where Did the Concept Come From? 2.1. The Old Meeting the New. 2.2. Others' Stories. 2.3. Origins. 3. How They Work. 3.1. Your Sensory System. 3.1.1. What Problems Result from SPD? 3.2. Exploring Deep Pressure. 3.3. Massage. 3.4. Neuroscience. 4. Professional Settings. 4.1. Occupational Therapy. 4.1.1. What is Occupational Therapy? 4.1.2. How are Weighted Blankets Used at an OT Clinic? 4.1.3. How Does OT Work for SPD? 4.2. Hospital Use. 4.2.1. Restraint Reduction. 4.2.2. Actual Use in a Hospital Setting. 4.3. Comfort/Multi-Sensory Rooms. 4.4. Helping Patients Getting Weighted Blankets Covered by Medical Insurance. 5. Considerations/Guidelines for Use. 5.1. Can They Create Dependence? 5.2. How Long to Use the Blanket? 5.3. Safety. 5.4. Drawbacks/Concerns. 5.5. Medical Insurance Coverage. 6. Choosing or Making Your Own. 6.1. Choosing a Weighted Blanket. 6.2. Weight Chart. 6.3. On a Budget. 6.4. Sewing Your Own.