We got the weight blanket....

January 8, 2006

My 8 year old AS son finally got his weight blanket Saturday morning

and was so excited to find the box out by the mail. He carried it

into his bedroom, opened the box and said he can't wait for bed time

to check it out. Bed time came. I tucked the kids into bed. about

15 minutes later he came to me crying, can I sleep with you. I walked

him back to his bed and asked what was wrong. he only said he didn't

want to sleep in his bed. I said, I'll put your old blanket back on

and asked if he wanted the weight blanket on top of that. (old

blanket) He said yes. Well, He was back in my room, didn't want no

part of sleeping in his bed. (I don't know if its because of the

weight blanket) he ended up on the couch and thats where he fell

asleep. This was a big surprise for me! I couldn't believe he acted

like that due to a weight blanket. (if thats the reason). I don't know

if its because its a change for him? or, he just wanted to sleep near

me for that night. I am surprised. I know he has sensory issues,

thats why I ordered the blanket. He craves tight hugs, likes to sleep

with the blanket tight on him even in the summer. I thought he would

love the weight blanket. I wounder if he needs to get use to it.

January 8, 2006

My son has had some very significant sleeping issues lately. He will not

sleep in his own bed. He was coming into our bed every night and really

disrupting our sleep. We know these issues are due to his anxiety so force is

not

an option. He can sleep on our bedroom floor in his sleeping bag, but cannot

come into our bed. So far this week it has worked out pretty well. Not

sure how this will pan out in the future...but for now it gets up through the

night. It all started when my dh had surgery and was in the hospital for a

week at the end of August. He slept with me in the bed everynight. Pam

January 9, 2006

my son also came in our bed nearly everynight, it started getting better when

he was about 5 but he still came in a lot.--putting him in the top bunk of a

bunkbed really was the only end to it (he is 6)--now he only comes in if he

wets the bed. Good luck!!

Alison

January 9, 2006

just a thought-- my son also has a weighted blanket and I did work in OT

(although with the geriatric pop)--but there are often protocols for how heavy

and

how long to use weighted items. I tried to gather this information too

before I ordered because I wanted it for sleeping purposes. Never found the

info,

went ahead and ordered a 5 pound one the size of a throw and he too was

psyched to get it in the mail but quickly lost interest.

it helped a lot for connor to learn to tell me when he needed a quish or a

smush. he now yells out " I need a smush!! " if he has trouble falling asleep.

maybe your blanket it too light/heavy-- maybe he wants to smuch with it

outside of his room, while watching tv, etc. before he invites it to bed!

who really knows--just some thoughts-- good luck! Alison

January 9, 2006

Hi Rose-

Yes I have a younger daughter (no DX either)- age 4, almost 5. She too wants

to do everything he does. She is in the bottom bunk as we are renovating so

they each have their own room. I breastfed them both for a year each and they

got very used to my bed. She still comes in. She is half his size plus she

is not the fitful sleeper Connor is. So she doesn't bother me as much.

Connor will thrash around and toss his long lanky limbs all over you. He also

sticks to you like a heat seeking missle--good move not getting into the

co-sleeping to start. I find you either do or don't--so don't start now! Good

luck!

Alison

PS- I do worry how it will be when we all move upstairs. I think everyone

will be in our bed again...everynight...yikes!

January 9, 2006

Hello,

My son is getting a little use to it. (the weight blanket) Now, He does want

to sleep with it because, I think he thinks this is the thing that will help him

sleep. I told him, its ok if you don't want to use it. He said he wants to.

but its like sleeping with a ton of bricks on me. I ordered a twin size. but

its just big enough for his body. I was hoping it would help him have a good

night sleep. but, I think your right. it has nothing to do with helping him

sleep. -Rose

Sherger22@... wrote:

My son has had a weighted blanket for almost two years now. He has a VERY

hard time falling asleep. I didn't see any real improvement in his sleep

patterns, but he did become quite fond of sleeping with it. It's not a

full-size

blanket. It's about 3'x4'. I put it just over his body. (he's also 8)

Like I said, I don't think it really helped, but he does love it.

Cathie

January 9, 2006

Pam,

do you think when our AS children can't sleep at night its due to anxiety? I

wounder in my sons case it was due to the weight blanket. He wakes up at night,

wakes me up. but never crying like he did the first night he got the blanket.

He does want to sleep in my bed with me! I can't sleep at all when he tries to

sneak into my bed when I'm sleeping. I wake up and get into his bed. in the

morning I'm still very tired and he is wide awake. I don't allow him in my bed

with me. there are times when I tell him to sleep on the floor with a sleeping

bag, and times I tell him to sleep on the couch. but, not with me! - Rose

ppanda65@... wrote:

My son has had some very significant sleeping issues lately. He will not

sleep in his own bed. He was coming into our bed every night and really

disrupting our sleep. We know these issues are due to his anxiety so force is

not

an option. He can sleep on our bedroom floor in his sleeping bag, but cannot

come into our bed. So far this week it has worked out pretty well. Not

sure how this will pan out in the future...but for now it gets up through the

night. It all started when my dh had surgery and was in the hospital for a

week at the end of August. He slept with me in the bed everynight. Pam

January 9, 2006

Hi Alison,

Do you have other children? the reason why I'm asking is because now his

sister (no DX) See's him trying to get into my bed. (which I don't allow) I tell

him to get on the couch. Now his sister which never has a sleeping problem,

wants to sleep on the couch, or sleeping bag. She is doing it because he does.

( l let her, so she don't feel left out. she sleeps in her own bed now). I

know my son really can't sleep at night and for some reason wakes up. I was

wondering if you have other children, if so, does this happen with them.? - Rose

ALIBEE1@... wrote:

my son also came in our bed nearly everynight, it started getting better when

he was about 5 but he still came in a lot.--putting him in the top bunk of a

bunkbed really was the only end to it (he is 6)--now he only comes in if he

wets the bed. Good luck!!

Alison

January 9, 2006

Thanks, I will do just that!!! I always tell him, you don't have to sleep with

it. and he says, he will give it another try. but, if I change my sentence

to: instead of just sleeping with it, you can choose to use it while watching

TV or sleeping. excellent idea. this gives HIM the choice. - Rose

ALIBEE1@... wrote: just a thought-- my son also has a weighted blanket and

I did work in OT

(although with the geriatric pop)--but there are often protocols for how heavy

and

how long to use weighted items. I tried to gather this information too

before I ordered because I wanted it for sleeping purposes. Never found the

info,

went ahead and ordered a 5 pound one the size of a throw and he too was

psyched to get it in the mail but quickly lost interest.

it helped a lot for connor to learn to tell me when he needed a quish or a

smush. he now yells out " I need a smush!! " if he has trouble falling asleep.

maybe your blanket it too light/heavy-- maybe he wants to smuch with it

outside of his room, while watching tv, etc. before he invites it to bed!

who really knows--just some thoughts-- good luck! Alison

January 9, 2006

On Mon, 2006-01-09 at 19:53, Rose wrote:

> Hi Alison,

> Do you have other children? the reason why I'm asking is because

> now his sister (no DX) See's him trying to get into my bed. (which I

> don't allow) I tell him to get on the couch. Now his sister which

> never has a sleeping problem, wants to sleep on the couch, or sleeping

> bag. She is doing it because he does. ( l let her, so she don't feel

> left out. she sleeps in her own bed now). I know my son really

> can't sleep at night and for some reason wakes up. I was wondering if

> you have other children, if so, does this happen with them.? - Rose

>

** I have three children, my Aspie tends to want to sleep on the floor

in my room rather then on the bed but if he's worked up he will come lay

in bed with us just for the comfort. My younger two are the ones who pop

into my bed more often then then not.

** **

>

> ______________________________________________________________________

January 9, 2006

I know for my son (who isn't AS, somewhere on the spectrum, my older son is

AS) it is anxiety. That is actually his presenting diagnosis. I've found

when something becomes a pattern (when my dh was in the hospital he slept with

me), then it becomes very hard to undo. There are a few things I just do not

know how to deal with. My son would probably like the weighted blanket

though. Pam

January 10, 2006

Also try www.southpaw.com for weighted blankets that are machine washable,

you do not have to remove the weights because they are evenly distributed and

incorporated in the fabric.

January 10, 2006

Hi again,

I don't let him sleep in my bed. I did the same thing you do. I tell him to

get on the couch or sleeping bag. But, when I'm sleeping, he will sneak in my

bed. He moves alot in his sleep, and thats how I wake up and find him there,

So, I leave him there and get into his bed. but, this has to stop. He just

told me today, he would like to use his weight blanket when he watches TV

instead of sleeping with it. I don't think he likes to sleep with the weight

blanket all night, and he just didn't want to hurt my feelings.

I hope your children like their new bedrooms, (when there finished) and enjoy

sleeping in their own beds. Best Luck - Rose