Perhaps the OT would have a source for getting the pellets at a wholesale price?

Consider the fillings ... beans explained above.
Rice (and any other food stuffs) ... might be of interest to mice.
Sand ... hhmmmmm? wonder if the cat would figure it out? and if it should get wet, and soggy?

Despite the costs, I think I would opt for the artificial ... besides, I'm sure you'd agree, that for your child is well worth it.

Also, the weight of the blanket/quilt needs to be 10% of the body weight. Lots of info on the net about these, especially with Autism headings.

I am the assistant coordinator for my local Project Linus, and we just recently tackled some of these weighted blankets. I learned a lot in the process.

First off, one member made one from the pattern with the sheets inside, and it is very nice -- it's heavy and it's all washable. It's also kind of costly (you have to buy a lot of sheets) and it's pretty darn heavy.

Another member made one with the pellets (also an expense) in the beanbag style described above by misskira. That worked out well, too.

We also made some with supplies we got at a local feed store -- dried peas, which made a nice round ball, and rolled wheat, I think it was. Both were about $4-6 for 10 lbs., comparable to rice if you can find a deal on it.

Some people suggested not using organic material because they can mold, but the organization we were making them for had one with rice that they'd been using for years, and they were fine with organic material. They also told us a few things about shape and size.

I ended up making two styles -- one, kind of a small pillow shape, about 10" by 14". It was just a lump, but the kids like to curl up around it. I made another that was a long snake-like tube (with the bean bag approach), and the kids wrap it around themselves. While we were there, we saw two small kids hold them and cuddle them, which was both heart-warming and satisfying to see that they worked as intended.

My point here is don't stress about it. Anything you do will be helpful, and you can learn as you go. If you make something she likes, you can keep improving on it, or if it doesn't work, you can try something else.

I will also say, if you sit with a heavy blanket on your lap, you will quickly see how calming and relaxing they can be.

Good luck!

Thanks! I will research more as I would like something that can be easily washed as she likes to be covered while she eats sometimes. I will ask the therapist Monday when we go back what she recommends.

The pattern I found was the one with the columns then you sew as you fill to make squares through out the blanket. And I did read where it should be 10% of the body weight plus a pound.

Thanks again for all the info.

For a child .. in the design process, you might consider how you can make it's weight grow ... as your daughter grows! :)

It is good that she has been diagnosed early, so many times disorders can be overlooked or ignored until things are really bad. Hope everything works out for you guys.

So, if the weight should be 10% of body weight, do you have to keep adding weight?

I found this doing a Google search.

http://www.davidsblanket.com/downloa...structions.pdf

I was thinking of figuring out how to make the columns as refillable, as in make tubes to put in the columns. Maybe use velco at one end so I can add more weight as needed. Not sure. I may just make one first then see how she likes it then tweek the design as needed.

I had this same dilemma and mountainmammo (from this board) sent me the directions to making one of these. I owe her a debt of gratitude because you wouldn't believe how much these cost!!!

I've made one. There is a weight calculation you have to do. I'm not at home where the pattern is, so please do NOT assume this calculation is correct but it will be something like 10% of the child's weight + 1 lb. type of thing.

I sewed two sheets together into a "sleeve" (3 sides sewn one side open). Then I sewed channels. Then we figured out the weight needed and divided that by the number of sleeves. Then we took 1/10th of the pellets and dropped them down each sleeve. Then we sewed across the blanket (so you have like "pillows" of pellets) continued to the top.

Once I had that done, I made a sort of Duvet Cover for it out of fabric that she liked. Her mom has a couple of covers now. She can wash those as she wants to and she washes the "weighted blanket part" less often.

I got my pellets on EBAY. I believe I found it under either dolls or teddy bear making materials. I had to buy a decent quantity.

PS - when you have to "add weight" to the quilt, I've done that too. We choose random "pillows" to slice and add pellets to. Then I sewed (appliqued?) a "bandaid" on the cut. When we had to add more weight a few months later we just picked other "pillows" to slice and add pellets to. I figure when I have added to all of the pillows, I'll just make another weighted blanket!

I wish you the best of luck - and a hearty thank you to mountainmammo who got me through my first one.

Velcro (or a zipper) is a good idea ... though if she's a "picker", that might not be such a good plan!
Might be better to stitch on the machine, and know how you are going to get into it.

I hope the OT has some valuable input for you ... all too often I hear and read that therapists, doctors etc. recommend these without any input and direction ... leaving the parent to do the research and stumble along in figuring it out. And I bet, there's times when some of the OTs say, oh that's all wrong.