Magic Weighted Blanket

Disclosure: The blanked pictured below was provided compliments of Magic Weighted Blanket.

As a parent of a child that suffers from anxiety you will try just about anything to help them.  For us it has been about a 5 year struggle, starting around the time our son was 6 years old.  Our struggle is social situations and mostly school.  We can go for weeks with no incident and all of a sudden he will be suffering again.   When his anxiety is in full swing it can lead to some aggression (only at home) from him not knowing how to communicate his feelings properly.  He bottles up his anxiety when away and “unleashes” when he gets home.  Anxiety is a life long struggle, has no “cure” and our hopes as parents are only to give him the tools to help him cope and know how to handle situations.

I have done lots of research on natural ways to help him. Through my research I have found that weighted blankets help with an array of things from restless leg syndrome to PTSD, fibromyalgia, down syndrome, anxiety, aggression, autism, rett’s syndrome, add/adhd and many other things.  Many occupation therapists recommend weighted blankets like as an effective non-drug therapy.  I thought this would be great for him because he likes “pressure” when he is very anxious and also loves a “good tuck” when he sleeps at night, almost like a tight swaddle for a baby.  Studies show that when light pressure is applied to the body serotonin is released.

After searching the web, I decided we wanted to try the “Magic Weighted Blanket”. It comes in many sizes and fabric choices (chenille, cotton, minky and fleece) to fit your needs. I knew when picking our blanket that it couldn’t be too “soft” as he does not like soft fluffy like fabrics.  Keith with Magic Weighted Blanket helped me pick the correct size and weight.  He recommended ordered a size up to give him room to grow.  We ended up ordering the 42″ x 72″ 16lb. cotton blanket in camo.  I was a bit concerned that 16 pounds was a bit heavy but Keith assured me the weight would be fine and he also wouldn’t outgrow it too quickly.After initially getting the blanket my son was excited to try it out and covered with it while playing on his ipad on the recliner that afternoon.   When it was time for bed he had decided he didn’t like it anymore and refused to use because this 6ft. blanket was “too short”.  He had a hard time wrapping himself in the good tuck, tucking his blanket under his feet and bringing it up to wrap around his shoulders.   Instead of arguing over it I would just lay the blanket over him after he fell asleep.During PSSA testing at school he asked if he could take the blanket to school because he thought it would help him.  Although he would never admit it I think he likes the blanket and knows that he helps him in de-stress.  He also tried laying the blanket around his neck but found it to be too big for that but, upon further investigation of their website they do offer a 3 lb. scarf that would be perfect for laying around his neck.

I sat on the sofa with the blanket for a little just to see what the weight was like.  Not what I was expecting at all.  I was assuming it would feel like a 16 pound brick sitting on top of you.  The weight is evenly distributed with little poly pellets in little compartments sewn in the blanket.  It doesn’t feel heavy at all, just slight pressure and was actually very nice.  The stitching on the blanket is also very nicely done.  You can also toss this blanket in the washer and dryer!The company stands behind their product so much that they have a 10 day money back guarantee.  If you are not completely satisfied they ask you to send back your blanket for a refund.  Per the Magic Weighted Blanket website you should never use on a small child and make sure you child is strong enough to push the blanket off of his or her body if needed.  It’s also important to note that the weighted blanket is not a substitute for care from a medical professional.Buy It: Blankets start at $79.oo and scarves start at $50.00,  you can order them here on the Magic Weighted Blanket website.