Contraindications for weighted blanket

[AlaskaOT]

Hello,
I am an OT certified in the SIPT who has not yet taken courses specifically on the weighted blanket. I have read some material on it and understand the neurological reasoning for using one. I am wondering, however, about contraindications (weight, diagnoses, combined with medications, overall alertness levels) for the weighted blanket when used with preschool aged children. I would like to provide more information to a parent who is planning on buying and using one for her child against my advice.

Thank you for any help you can give.

[Tina Champagne]

Greetings,
Since my research has been with adults, that is the info that I can offer. Under the sensory modulation section on this site there is a page called therapeutic use of weight. There is a power point presentation outlining a lot of the research I have completed to date with my colleagues on the use of the WB.

Toward the end of the PPP I outline initial considerations for using the WB with adult populations. That information may help to some degree.

Often OTs recommend following the weighted vest guidelines when using the WB. We have found that for the populations in the studies we conducted, these guidelines were unsubstantiated for several reasons. Also, OT's who use the WB a lot must be careful to consider ergonomic considerations for lifting, pushing, carrying or pulling heavy loads.

I hope this information helps. These studies (& others that are related) are all in press or in the progress of becoming submitted for consideration for publication. Our first study with a general (non-hospitalized) adult population came out in Feb 2008 in the OT in Mental Health journal.

Additionally, I have added weighted blanket use recommendations (based on our research) in the 3rd edition of my book. It is important that we use evidence-based info as much as possible when using weighted modalities (and others). At this time, our research is the only published research on this subject - to my knkowledge. I have provided the PPP's so that people can see the majority of our results while waiting for all our our studies to come out in press. Technically, I can't recommend that these results are generalizable but I will say that it is at least evidence...which is more than anyone else can state when providing recommendations of WB use at this time, with any population. Hope this helps!

Sincerely,
Tina
_________________
Tina Champagne, OTD, OTR/L

[jackie]

We have used the following supplier for weighted blankets. Their website may help with the information you seek.
The web site is
www.weightedblanket.net

Hope it helps
Jackie

[quote="AlaskaOT"]Hello,
I am an OT certified in the SIPT who has not yet taken courses specifically on the weighted blanket. I have read some material on it and understand the neurological reasoning for using one. I am wondering, however, about contraindications (weight, diagnoses, combined with medications, overall alertness levels) for the weighted blanket when used with preschool aged children. I would like to provide more information to a parent who is planning on buying and using one for her child against my advice.

Thank you for any help you can give.[/quote]