Weighted blankets for autism have become a popular tool for parents trying to help their child with autism feel calmer. Weighted blankets provide deep touch pressure, which has been effective at helping children who have anxiety and autism calm down at night in order to sleep. Children who have autism and anxiety often have trouble with sleep issues. If your child struggles to fall asleep or doesn't stay asleep throughout the night and you’re looking for sleep therapy solutions, a weighted blanket for autism & anxiety can make a difference.

Weighted Blankets and Autism

Weighted blankets are traditional blankets with a little extra weight added to them. There are blankets of various weights for you and your child to try out for comfort. The weight isn't much, but it is enough to provide the deep touch pressure that offers a calming sensation to your child. Instead of piling up the bed with extra blankets to create the pressure, a weighted blanket can be used instead.  

How Do Weighted Blankets Help Autism?

If your child is on the autism spectrum, you’ve probably found they often have a hard time settling down. Children with autism tend to be prone to meltdowns, having difficulty regulating their emotions. Low serotonin levels could be adding to your child's stress and sleeping problems. Pressure blankets for autism help improve sleep by making the individual feel more secure. Many people find it therapeutic to sleep with a pile of blankets, and would benefit from a weighted blanket instead. Weighted blankets have been helpful to children with autism in making them feel comfortable and calm.

Serotonin Levels and Feeling Calm

People who have low serotonin levels may feel anxious or depressed. Many children who are diagnosed with autism have low serotonin levels. The deep pressure therapy provided by the weighted blanket helps to increase serotonin levels. They are also good for calming down the nervous system, another way the children’s autism blankets help to promote sleep. If your child with autism suffers from anxiety and can't sleep, the weighted blanket can help ease the anxiety.

Reducing Your Child's Meltdowns

When your child has autism, you may be dealing with meltdowns on a daily basis. Anxiety and autism often go together, and when your child is having a hard time, they begin to meltdown. Deep pressure therapy blankets can be a useful way to help your child calm down before they go into a full-blown meltdown. If they are able to lie down for a few minutes with the blanket, they may start to feel a deep pressure calming down their nervous system. If your child with autism has fewer meltdowns overall, it becomes easier to handle their behavior. 

Natural Ways to Manage Anxiety

If your child has anxiety, it's beneficial to find natural ways to help manage the anxiety. Even when your child takes medication, natural ways to manage anxiety can have a big impact. Learning how to take deep breaths, using a weighted blanket, and meditation can all help your child get better control over their anxiety. Children with autism benefit from a multi-faceted approach to dealing with anxiety and subsequent symptoms.

Weighted Blankets for Autism & Anxiety

If you are looking to raise your autism awareness and need ways to reduce your child's stress, anxiety, and improve their sleep, a weighted blanket can help. Weighted blankets provide a number of benefits that include:

• Calming down the nervous system and making sleep easier.

• Increasing serotonin levels in the brain to reduce anxiety.

• Decreasing the number of meltdowns your child experiences because of their autism and anxiety.

If your child is diagnosed with autism and struggles with sleep problems or behavioral issues, Infinite Therapy Solutions can help. We provide a wide range of services that include occupational therapy, behavioral therapy, speech and language therapy, and physical therapy in the comfort of your own home so that you don't have to bring your child in for appointments. Contact us today in our Bayonne office at 201-455-3144 or at our West Orange Clinic at 973-939-6280 and learn more about the services we offer.