The Weighted Blanket Guide

1. What Is a Weighted Blanket? 1.1. What Is a Weighted Blanket? 1.2. What Are They Used For? 1.2.1. Sleep. 1.2.2. Chronic Pain. 1.2.3. Anxiety. 1.2.4. Autism. 1.2.5. Alzheimer's/Dementia/Seniors. 1.2.6. Mental Illnesses. 1.2.7. Special Education. 2. Where Did the Concept Come From? 2.1. The Old Meeting the New. 2.2. Others' Stories. 2.3. Origins. 3. How They Work. 3.1. Your Sensory System. 3.1.1. What Problems Result from SPD? 3.2. Exploring Deep Pressure. 3.3. Massage. 3.4. Neuroscience. 4. Professional Settings. 4.1. Occupational Therapy. 4.1.1. What is Occupational Therapy? 4.1.2. How are Weighted Blankets Used at an OT Clinic? 4.1.3. How Does OT Work for SPD? 4.2. Hospital Use. 4.2.1. Restraint Reduction. 4.2.2. Actual Use in a Hospital Setting. 4.3. Comfort/Multi-Sensory Rooms. 4.4. Helping Patients Getting Weighted Blankets Covered by Medical Insurance. 5. Considerations/Guidelines for Use. 5.1. Can They Create Dependence? 5.2. How Long to Use the Blanket? 5.3. Safety. 5.4. Drawbacks/Concerns. 5.5. Medical Insurance Coverage. 6. Choosing or Making Your Own. 6.1. Choosing a Weighted Blanket. 6.2. Weight Chart. 6.3. On a Budget. 6.4. Sewing Your Own.

I am thrilled to see this much needed weighted blanket guide. It answers so many questions that people have about weighted blanket therapy. There is no one more suited to write it than Eileen, a onetime fellow weighted blanket maker and a user of weighted blankets for her own autism.