Sensory Processing Disorder Parent Support

Weighted Vests & Sensory Weighted Products For Sensory Processing Disorder

Children with sensory differences ... Painting the world beautiful.

Weighted Vests & Sensory Weighted Products

Jeanette Loftus

Sensory weighted products can offer a child sensory input and help them with sensory processing disorder. Weighted blankets, weighted vests, and weighted stuffies are some common examples of sensory weighted products.

These products are designed to provide deep pressure touch that can have a calming effect for a child.

Occupational Therapists recommend sensory weighted tools for children and adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Sensory Processing Disorder, Anxiety and Autism because these products can help them with calming and sleeping challenges.

Sensory weighted products offer so many benefits for children like improved focus and attention, increased body awareness, better sleep, promote self-regulation, feeling calm and reduced anxiety.

Children with sensory processing disorder can often have difficulty with overstimulation or under-stimulation of sensory input. Weighted products can provide the right amount of sensory input and this will help regulate your child and their response to sensory input.

These blankets are filled with small glass beads or plastic pellets. The beads are distributed evenly throughout the blanket. The weight in the weighted blankets feels like a gentle hug or it is like being held, which can be soothing, calming and comforting for many children.

Weighted vests typically have pockets filled with weights that can be adjusted for different amounts of pressure. The weight of the vest helps the child feel grounded and calm. This can also help provide proprioception input, the sense of body position and movement. This can be very helpful for children with poor body awareness or coordination.

Weighted animals are a fun way to provide proprioceptive sensory input for children. These stuffed animals come in different sizes and are filled with small weighted pellets. Sensory weighted products can be beneficial for children with sensory differences, autism, ADHD and anxiety.