Which Weighted Blanket should I buy? This is the most common question we are asked by customers faced with an increasing range of weighted blankets available.

The first thing to establish is the correct weight.   Purchasing a weighted blanket that is the right weight is important. It needs to be heavy enough to be effective, but not too heavy that it could be potentially unsafe.

As a general rule most Occupational Therapists recommend 10% of the users body weight.   In addition you should consider other factors such as the age of the child. You should also consider their ability to communicate and their ability to self remove the blanket if it is uncomfortable.

A weighted blanket should never be used to restrain a child. This completely misses the point as the weight is there to comfort and calm so the person using the weighted blanket should be control at all times.

To calculate the correct weighted blanket, first you need to weigh the user.  If they weigh 6 stone, divide this by 14 to convert to pounds = 84lbs and then multiply by 0.10 to work out 10% = 8.4lbs – in this instance we would recommend rounding down to the 8lb blanket.

If you work in Kg, this is a bit easier – just weigh the user and multiply by 0.10 – all of our blankets are labelled in both Kg and Lbs.

Our website contains a comprehensive weight guide at https://www.sensorydirect.com/size-guide/

So now you have established the correct weight you need to decide what type of blanket.  We manufacture two styles of weighted blanket – the CLASSIC and ADJUSTABLE.

Which Type Of Blanket Should I buy?

The CLASSIC weighted blanket is fixed in weight and the weights are sewn into small individual cells in the blanket.

As well as being excellent on the bed, the small cells mean that the blanket can be used to wrap around the body to provide a hugging effect. Some people find this very calming, particularly in a meltdown or stressful situation.

The Classic is available in 2 sizes 140cm x 110cm and 115cm x 90cm.  Blanket weights range from 2.5kg to 7.0kg and are available in a range of colours and materials

The ADJUSTABLE weighted blanket has pockets which hold the weights, which means the weight in the blanket can be varied to suit the individual. This is useful to add weights as a child grows, for example.   This weighted blanket is best used on a bed and comes in 2 sizes – 150cm x 120cm and 200cm x 135cm.  A range of colourful covers are available to keep the blanket clean.

Our weighted blankets carry the CE mark and are a registered Class 1 Medical Device.

With such a large range of weighted blankets on the market, we hope this blog has been helpful.