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Weighted Vests for Autism

Weighted Vests for Autism

Using a weighted vest to boost the intensity of a given physical activity is a common practice in fitness and exercise. The weighted vest may be worn while a person walks, works out, rides a bike, or does chores. A weighted vest is considered to be a sensory tool for people and children with autism to improve attention, concentration, and self-regulation. Because of the deep pressure that the vests provide, the wearer might feel calmer and more focused, which is why they’re so popular among athletes.

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Best Weighted Vests for Autism: Summary

Uses Of a Weighted Vest for Individuals with Autism

The use of a weighted vest on a kid with autism is safe. When a kid wears a vest like this, there are several things to keep in mind to make sure they are safe and comfortable.

How Heavy Should the Weighted Vests Be?

Between 5% and 10% of a person’s weight should be placed on the vest’s weight. The vest should weigh no more than 5 pounds if the youngster weighs 50 pounds. Because no studies have been done to establish a standard body weight limit, this is based on the weight limits used for backpacks.

How Frequently Should the Weighted Vests Be Worn for Individuals with Autism?

There are no hard and fast rules about how long a weighted vest should be worn. You should speak with the your child’s therapist to devise a “wearing schedule” that the he or she will adapt to easily. Some therapists advise not wearing it for longer than an hour at a time, while others say it may be worn throughout the school day. Another thing to consider is whether or not the youngster will be able to tolerate wearing it for an extended period of time. When the kid has calmed down, the vest may be removed if it was used to soothe an agitated youngster.

Weighted Vests for Adults with Autism

The use and benefits of weighted vest for autism for children are the same for adults. However, there are ways to make it more age- and preference-appropriate. For example, therapists advocate a higher percentage of the person’s body weight than the 5 to 10 percent that was previously recommended. Weighted vests may be used by adults with autism to alleviate anxiety, tension, or impulsiveness.

Deep pressure helped Temple Grandin deal with the tension and anxiety she experienced as an autistic person, according to the author of Emergence

Best Weighted Vest for Autism: Adapt Ease Adjustable Sensory Calming Compression Pressure Vest

The Adapt Ease Adjustable Sensory Calming Compression Pressure Vest weighted vest helps youngsters with hyperactivity (ADHD), sensory integration disorder, and autism by providing deep pressure that enhances body awareness and fosters calm, concentration, and attention. Benefits of calming. However, children should only wear the pressure vest for a maximum of 20 minutes at a time when they need sensory input to aid concentrate. 

This weighted vest for autism is 2mm perforated neoprene, like the material used in wet suits. This weighted vest for autism is long-lasting and easy to clean in the dishwasher. It’s Dimensions: 14″ x 16″ x 4″ inches. Adjustable width and pressure thanks to four Velcro straps.

Weighted Compression Vest for Children

You should use this weighted vest for kids if your child suffers from autism or sensory processing disorder. When your child is feeling overwhelmed or extremely anxious, the added weight from a weighted vest is the ideal companion. This sensory pressure vest will help your youngster relax and concentrate. This weighted vest for youngsters is ideal for people who prefer deep pressure sensory stimulation. Weighted compression vests may help children with autism, ADHD, and sensory processing disorder. The weighted compression vest for children is composed of neoprene and breathable mesh and is designed to last and be worn comfortably without overheating.

Easy to adjust sensory clothing with pockets for weights and Velcro. 6 weights are included with purchase: 4, 14 lb & 2, 12 lb. Total weight is 2 pounds. Each size is entirely customizable for the perfect fit. Before you purchase, make sure to check our size chart on the left.

SmartKnitKIDS Compresso Weighted Vest

The SmartKnitKIDS Compresso Weighted Vest is 97.3% polyester, 2.7% lycra make up this garment and is perfect for children with autism, ADD, ADHD, or other sensory processing abnormalities who get overstimulated might benefit from deep pressure input using 4-way stretch yarns. All sites of discomfort are eliminated thanks to the absence of tags and elastic bands.

Your youngster will stay cool and dry thanks to high-tech fibers. You may wear it everywhere since it’s so light and airy that it doesn’t impede movement or balance. To help you focus in the classroom, when traveling, at home, or anyplace else, wear it! This compression shirt is designed just for newborns. Your child’s chest circumference should be measured and followed by the picture carousel’s size guide.

Special Supplies Weighted Sensory Compression Vest for Kids

Sensory weighted vests for children include front and rear pockets where you may add or remove 12 or 14 lb. sand bags to meet your child’s specific demands. It has two pockets up top and four on the rear for each of the three sizes.) Two pockets in the front and two in the rear are included in the X-Small and XXX-Small sizes.

When worn as a weighted vest, children have the freedom to move freely, play, and experience life as they see fit. They can also keep cool and comfortable while they do so. Whether it’s a lengthy car journey, a classroom, or an errand run, our adaptable sensory weighted vest may help your youngster feel more in control and calm down.

ZooVaa Weighted Sensory Vest for Kids

The ZooVaa Children’s Weighted Vest, in contrast to more typical, clumsy vests, has a silky, cool blue exterior. Zippers make it easier to put on and take off clothing. Ideal for use in school or other formal settings. Comfortable, but fashionable, made of 100% Terylene. When your kid grows, the elastic sides will expand to fit. When you zip or unzip, the full-length viper makes temperature adjustment a breeze. Using the vest’s unique compression, the youngster may feel pressure over the chest and back, mimicking the feeling of a soothing embrace.

Researching Weighted Vests for Autism

Adapt and Learn report shows that, wear time should be between 20 and 50 minutes, depending on your preference. In certain cases, such as when a student is attending a class in which vest wear might be beneficial, I would propose that the vest be left on for the length of the class or topic. Continue to take the weighted vest off for at least that amount of time before the next scheduled wear time. While weighted vest for austism are common recommendations by occupational therapists, Depending on the investigation, the results of the research into various sense instruments are inconsistent (who was involved, how many children were studied, observable changes targeted).

For tabletop fine motor activities, a weighted vest improved on-task behavior by 18-25 percent in a research conducted by Nancy L. VandenBerg in 2001 and published in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy. After the testing session, three of the four participants requested to wear the weighted vest for additional time.

According to Doreen Fertel-Daly and Gary Bedell’s 2001 research in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy, weighted vests help improve attention to task and reduce self-stimulatory behaviors in preschoolers with Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD). To promote physiological control (respiration, heart rate, blood pressure), deep contact pressure has been shown to be beneficial. A fair conclusion to draw is that the favorable results of DTP study would also be true in product-specific research since weighted vests and compression vests target the proprioceptive system by increasing the quantity of input.

How Does a Weighted Vest Help Children with Autism?

A weighted vest for autism is a garment worn over clothes that has additional weight. For this, the vest’s pockets are filled with steel bars or sandbags, which add weight to the vest’s fabric. It is supposed to increase a person’s weight by five to ten percent. Weighted vests may be recommended to children with autism to help them relax and concentrate during school activities.

Those in favor of this method feel that applying pressure to a child’s muscles helps alleviate anxiety and improves the child’s focus. Therapists have seen a reduction in stereotypy in children with autism who wear a weighted vest, despite the lack of scientific support.

A research study found that children with autism who wore weighted vests performed better on fine motor tasks, which supports this claim. According to four out of seven studies of children with autism who wore weighted vests, there were neither beneficial or negative impacts on the participants (Stephenson & Carter, 2009). Teachers and therapists already use weighted vests on autistic children outside of the realm of formal study.

Children with autism are an invaluable source of knowledge. The children who wore the vests wanted to wear them long after they had completed their jobs. The garment “made him feel happy,” according to one youngster.” Another youngster who wore the vest during occupational therapy sought it out in the next session. “I enjoy wearing the vest,” he remarked when asked why he wanted to put it on once again. In other words, “It’s cozy.”

What Are Weighted Vests Used For?

In fitness and exercise, a weighted vest for autism helps to raise the intensity of a certain physical activity. A person may walk, work exercise, ride, or do chores while wearing a weighted vest to accomplish this. A weighted vest is considered to be a sensory tool for people and children with autism to improve attention, concentration, and self-regulation. Because of the deep pressure that the vests provide, the wearer might feel calmer and more focused, which is why they’re so popular among athletes.

Conclusion

Weighted vests are worn to aid in the processing of sensory information by the user. Supporters of this treatment think that as individuals become more adept at processing sensory information, their ability to concentrate, pay attention, and learn will increase as well. Weighted vests may be recommended by therapists who utilize sensory integration treatment to help children with inattentiveness, hyperactivity, stereotypic behaviors, and autism.

It’s not clear whether or not weighted vests are 100% useful because of a lack of research and several methodological flaws. While more study of this strategy is debatable, weighted vests for treating autism are not suitable for clinical use at this time. Methodological issues need to be addressed in future study, and some suggestions are made.

Mike Horton (head of Weighted Living)

by Mike Horton

Mike is one of the lead editors at Weighted Living and the author of this article. He's become fascinated with weighted products (a bit too much we think) and loves to see all the different ways they can improve our loves. He's written quite a few weighted product guides as well.

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