Weighted Blanket for Autistic Child
 

Does anyone know where I can buy the filler weights for a weighted blanket. I want to makeone for my autistic grandchild. He uses one at his school, and it calms him down so much that he can self-prevent having a tantrum. The blankets are VERY expensive to buy, and my DIL has asked me to make one. I'd love to make one and personalize it for Charlie.

I just checked out the above site as our quilt guild has had a request to make some of these weighted blankets. Looking at this company's price list makes me think that I will recommend buying them rather than making them. These blankets are 4 layers of cotton and are a good size so the material to make even one would be expensive. By the time I purchased all the necessary fabric, thread and weights, I don't think that I would save enough to make it worth my while to try making these. I'd be reaching for my cheque book on this one.

Thanks Nelda - I called Annie at the website. They don't sell river rock, but she suggested I check with someone who sells aquarium rock, because it's clean. I'll do that!
Joanne

I have a quilt made from upholstery fabric that is very heavy. I think it was made from scraps discarded from an upholstery shop. I was wondering if it would work in this situation. Just a thought.

My grandson has just recently been diagnosed with sensory perception disorder and weighted blankets are recommended for him. The occupational therapist, and my niece who is also an OT both suggested getting washers to put in the corners and sides about halfway down because it's supposed to be kept away from the head. Since I sew they said not to spend the money buying one.

This Youtube video shows how to make one using poly pellets from the craft store:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zp8MpA12n04

Also found this tutorial that uses poly pellets:
http://thesquishypickles.blogspot.co...-tutorial.html

I believe the actual weight you use is very important. Check with the OT to get a specific weight for the child. The tutorial says the standard is 10% of body weight plus 1 lb, but weights can vary also for the individual child. Or, perhaps weigh the blanket he uses at school and replicate that weight and placement of the weights in the blanket.

Here's another tutorial with good photos (also uses the poly pellets):
http://dandelionmama.com/2010/01/16/...ghted-blanket/

Edit: Oh, and I found plastic pellets here on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Darice-Bean-Fi...dp/B001O5SQCO/
However, I don't know if they're the good polypropylene ones that don't melt. Also, one of the reviewers said that Walmart had the same ones for half the price.

Also found these on Amazon. Reviewer says she uses them to make weighted blankets, but that they are a lot less expensive purchased locally:
http://www.amazon.com/Fairfield-Poly...dp/B000E3E6GM/

My son has autism and I always kept a blanket in my car. When he became overwhelmed on an outing or in a restaurant, we would retreat to the car where he could calm himself under a blanket.

My friend has a son that is autistic. She says he loves his weighted blanket. They have a chart somewhere that I had seen that each pocket is filled with a certain weight of pellets according to the childs weight. I haven't seen it for a while and I can't remember where I had found that at.

Here's another idea I'll toss on the pile. Someone else on this board recently posted about a similar blanket she was making, only it was stretchy and tight instead of weighted. It wraps around the child, sort of like those Thundershirts for dogs. Might be another option to try, along with the weighted blanket.