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The weight that should be added to a weighted vest can vary depending on the child's body weight and sensory needs. As a general rule, the weight added to the vest should be between 5-10% of the child's body weight. For example, if a child weighs 50 pounds, the weight added to the vest should be between 2.5-5 pounds. It's important to remember that adding too much weight can be uncomfortable and potentially harmful, so it's best to start with a lower weight and gradually increase it as tolerated. Due to limited scientific evidence marking the effectiveness of weighted vests, it is important to consistently observe a child with Autism when wearing this item. For children who are non-verbal, it is even more important to be observing and noting any displays of physical discomfort or distress. Additionally, for any child who is anxious, this added input may be more anxiety provoking and may not be the right tool to utilize. That being said, maybe the most important source of information regarding this topic is the child! Observing the child to see any changes in their self-regulation or attention or listening to any reports of “feeling good” or “I like it” may be the evidence needed for continued use of this tool! Tips and Guidelines: Therapists and caregivers claim that weighted vests can help calm a distressed child. This is based on the theory that the deep pressure provided by the vest creates a physical reaction that “reduces excitability and decreases arousal” ( Blanche & Schaaf, 2001). When not to use weighted vests Weighted and compression vests are designed to give your child that hugged sensation, without the trapped feeling some kids with autism can experience with a person-to-person hug.
Making a weighted vest may be complex from mere looking at the picture but once you lay your hands on the materials required and you start working on it, it becomes easier and faster. For this vest, it takes the creator up to 2 hours before completion. A child who is unable to process various sensory inputs properly may resort to stereotypical behaviors like repeated gestures (stimming) or become clumsy, unresponsive, or overly upset. National Research Council (Ed.). (2001). Educating children with autism. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.If up to thirty-three percent of patients can improve with harmless distilled water, and only some sixty percent get the desired result with the pharmacologically active substance, we should be striving for all patients to be cured with a placebo. Then we would not have to administer a dangerous active substance. Avoid habituation: have your child wear the vest for no longer than 15 minutes at a time. Following approximately 15 minutes of wearing, a child will habituate to this newly imposed sensory input and it will no longer be an effective tool. The cloth/material of a weighted vest is important because it will affect a childs sensitivity level. If a child with autism has certain textures that he/she doesnt like, then it would not help to make the child wear a weighted vest with the said unwelcome texture. The placebo effect is a beneficial health outcome resulting from a person’s anticipation that an intervention will help. How a health care provider interacts with a patient also may bring about a positive response that’s independent of any specific treatment.
In a recent article on relaxation breathing, we covered how the autonomic nervous system responds to stimulation that is perceived as dangerous, over-simulating, or anxiety inducing via the commonly referred to signs of “fight, flight, freeze. It is through our limbic system that this occurs. Weighted vests can be beneficial for some individuals who have difficulty with sensory processing, including those who are proprioceptive avoiders. Proprioceptive input can be calming and regulating for individuals who seek it out, but for those who avoid it, it can be overwhelming and uncomfortable. Most importantly, occupational therapists are often providing treatment under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, which mandates therapeutic and instructional strategies must be research-based whenever possible. There are no clear rules on how long a weighted vest can be worn. It is best to consult with the child’s therapist to plan a “wearing schedule” that the child will get accustomed to without much difficulty.The clinical significance is just another way to say, “does this treatment actually work for my patients in their normal environment?” Struggle to know how much pressure to apply (make break pencils or use too much pressure when shaking someone’s hand) There is no solid evidence that it helps reduce stereotypy or stimming in a child with autism, but therapists have noted a decrease in this behavior when a weighted vest is worn. This is supported by a study that showed that children with autism who wore weighted vests had an 18 to25 percent increase in on-task completion of fine motor activities (VandenBerg, 2001). When I asked about the purpose of the vests, I was told that they have a calming effect because they give the wearer a sense of pressure. It is not uncommon for children on the autism spectrum or those with ADHD to have sensory needs, such as craving squeezes or deep pressure. I was also told that weighted vests can and improve focus. Inform them that you are going to put the vest on them - You can say, “Okay, you try!” or “Your turn!”. If they are physically resistant to putting it on, try setting it aside to see if they want to put it on on their own. If they walk away from it and do not choose to wear it, it may be aversive for them and you can consider returning it. Don’t be afraid to reach out to your child’s care team for assistance and insight.
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