Best Weighted Blankets for Kids - Advantages, Types & Usage

Weighted blankets have acquired popularity with families with youngsters or grown-up individuals who experience issues in getting a sound sleep. A solid rest routine is essential for our health, yet conditions in kids like tension, ADHD, and anxiety make it undeniably challenging for them to get an entire night’s sleep.

Each weighted blanket for kids has an age range - typically 4 or older. Thus, it is necessary to make a point to review product information before buying one for your kid. Guardians must talk with their doctor before permitting their kid to use a weighted blanket.

Weighted covers incorporate plastic pellets, ball bearings, glass globules, or different design materials, making them heavier than typical covers. Numerous sleepers see that the additional load in a weighted blanket gives a feeling of safety, assisting with lessening anxiety and leading to a comfortable sleep cycle.

Let us look at the potential benefits of weighted blankets and points to consider when buying one for your kid.

What to Consider When Buying a Weighted Blanket for Kids?

1. Weight

A too weighty blanket could cause distress or might be risky for little kids. In any case, a too-light cover may not give the required solace and security. Picking the right weight for your kid’s weighted cover is essential to ensure they experience its advantages.

2. Breathability

Weighted blankets are especially heavy, implying sleepers can quickly overheat if the blanket is not adequately breathable. Many weighted covers incorporate materials that do not trap heat and allow airflow, making for a calmer night’s rest.

3. Easy To Clean

If a blanket cannot be cleaned easily, it will not last long. Regular cleaning assists with keeping blankets free from stains and microscopic organisms. Kids’ blankets are particularly inclined to get dirtied, which makes the simplicity of cleaning a top thought when it comes to picking a weighted blanket for youngsters.

4. Quality Materials

Weighted blankets made with high-quality materials can give a comfortable sleep experience to your child. High-quality fabrics comprise benefits that you wouldn’t find in lower-quality materials. For example, quality materials might be natural or hypoallergenic or have other extraordinary qualities to help a particular kind of sleeper. Quality cover materials are less inclined to tear or become worn.

5. Cost

The weighted blanket you pick should fit inside your value range while additionally meeting your kid’s sleep requirements. Blankets made with quality materials will probably come at a more exorbitant cost tag, and however, those covers are additionally bound to offer strength and comfort.

Benefits Of Weighted Blankets For Kids

1. ADHD Helper

For kids with ADHD, it’s been shown that a weighted cover can assist with calming down their hyperactive bodies and minds, which can be particularly useful for concentrating during the school day.

2. Helps Kids with Autism

Kids who are analyzed to be on Autism Spectrum Disorder find it difficult to transition from one activity to another because of their overexcitement. Guardians and educators utilize weighted covers to help them calm down and concentrate.

3. Helps Children with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

A few kids also experience PTSD at a young age which ruins their capacity to speak with others. PTSD can set off unexpected tension or anxiety attacks in kids, which can be treated using weighted blankets.

4. Break the Anxiety-Insomnia Spiral

The weighted blankets break the sleep deprivation cycle by compressing the body. The pressure delivered by the weighted blankets decreases cortisol levels at night. Youngsters experiencing sleep deprivation will also rest better as they have a sense of security under a weighted blanket. The body reacts positively to this pressure by delivering more serotonin, which elevates mood and reduces tension.

Kinds of Weighted Blankets

1. Infused Weighted Blanket

These blankets include weight beads infused in the middle of two layers of fabric and woven consistently. They are not difficult to fold, and the weight is even. But, they are the most costly.

2. Wearable Weighted Blanket

As the name recommends, these covers are wearable, and your kid can undoubtedly slip in and out and stroll around or sleep in like a sleeping bed.

3. Pocket Weighted Blankets

These covers are made from a series of little squares with many loads. These covers come in a wide variety of colors and textures.

How Heavy Should a Weighted Blanket for Kids Be?

As a thumb rule, weighted blankets ought to be no higher than 10% of the kid’s weight in addition to a couple of pounds. The margin permits you to pick blankets that come in regular weights like three or five pounds. For instance, a weighted cover for a 3-year-old who weighs 30 pounds would be around three to five pounds in weight.

While an excessive heavy blanket can be hazardous for a kid, a too-light blanket may not be sufficient for your kid’s requirements. When you get the weighted blanket, assist your kid by giving it a shot to check whether the weight is well-suited. Ensure they can move comfortably underneath the cover and find the weight suitable. If the weight is uncomfortable or your kid finds it difficult to remove the blanket, you should trade it for a lighter cover.

Picking the Right Weighted Blanket

1. Fillers

Different filler materials have various densities and can give an amazing feel to the blanket. Pick a sort that your kid would feel comfy in.

2. Machine-Washable

For easing the maintenance, choose a blanket that can be washed effectively in a washing machine.

3. Fabric

Weighted covers are accessible in various fabrics such as cotton, satin, flannel wool, and others. Select the fabric that meets your needs.

4. Weight Distribution

Weighted blankets work best when the pressure is disseminated consistently on the body. Pick covers that contain weights in individually sewed pockets all through the blanket.

How to Use a Weighted Blanket

Although a weighted blanket can be beneficial, introducing it to your kid in the right way is crucial.

1. Never push your kid to use the cover, and the transition should be more normal and not constrained.

2. When you first present the cover to your kid, begin with the legs. Lay it on their legs, progressively pull it over their bodies, and ask how it feels.

3. Try to use the weighted blanket at different times apart from sleep time to help them become accustomed to it. You could wrap them up when they sit on the couch or while doing schoolwork.

Conclusion:

Regardless of whether your youngster has ADHD, autism, sensory processing disorder, or insomnia, a suitably sized weighted blanket might have the option to help.

Converse with your pediatrician about your kid’s needs, and then utilize this handy guide to track down the perfect blanket for your kid.