Tuesday 26 February 2013

Weighted Blankets and Products



Why Weighted Therapy?
Weighted products are used for many children and adults with Sensory Processing Disorder, Sleep Problems, Autism, ADHD, and many other Neurological Disorders because they provide a type of sensory input that they might need or crave. The weight is soothing to the individual and helps them to relax or calm down.

Children with excessively high energy levels find these blankets or weighted lap pads soothing for bedtime or throughout the day. They can bring one to school for quiet times. They can wrap them around their shoulders or whole body, or place them on their lap during desk work and reading times for the extra calming deep pressure input their bodies crave.

The proprioceptive input provided by the weight of the blanket, calms the nervous system. This can also increase focus and body awareness and helps to decrease sensory seeking behaviours because of it's proprioceptive input.

The 3 Main Reasons Why Weighted Products are used are:1. to improve body awareness
2. to calm and improve attention and focus
3. to decrease sensory seeking behaviors

How do Weighted Products Work?
Today weighted blankets are used in many settings. Schools, clinics and long term care facilities are using weighted blankets to assist their clients.These blankets can be used as a self-regulation tool, and are versatile enough to be used anywhere. Many children use the small blankets or lap pads when out and about or travelling in the car.
Weighted Products are used in Occupational Therapy as a therapeutic intervention and is often referred to as "heavy work", proprioceptive input, and deep pressure. The therapeutic use of weight and "deep pressure" to the muscles, joints, tendons and ligaments allows the central nervous system to better interpret and integrate both tactile (sense of touch) and proprioceptive (sense of movement, body position, and pressure) input.


Our Weighted Products


At Adam and Friends we have a great range of weighted products from Large Style Blankets to Wraps, Lap Pads and Plush Toy Lap Pets at affordable prices. We have lots of great designs to choose from too from Toy Story, Tinkerbell, Dinosaurs, Disney Princesses and more and if you can't find something you like why not contact us at info@adamandfriends.ie or call us on 01 2989001 and see how we can help. Check out our full range of weighted products online at http://adamandfriends.ie/estore/category/special-needs-therapy-products/