Affordable Weighted Blankets
Ah…sleep…
When call came in to review this product from Affordable Weighted Blankets, I immediately said YES! When my son was first diagnosed with sensory processing disorder at age 2 1/2, one of the first things his occupational therapist recommended was a weighted blanket. I had never heard of such a thing. My son craves deep pressure input, and she told me this would help calm him not only during the day but all night long as well. Considering he had never slept through the night at that point, I was eager to try anything. We purchased a small toddler weighted blanket 2 years ago, and I was amazed at the instant difference it made for my son.
Fast forward to now, and at age five, my son has outgrown his toddler sized blanket and we were in the market for a new one. Enter Donna Chambers, the owner of Affordable Weighted Blankets.
Her story on her website touched me immediately. Her grandson has autism, and someone had suggested to them that he use a weighted blanket. Like me, she had never heard of one before. So she took it upon herself to make him one with the help of her friend Carol. And from there, a company was born. Her small company employs just a few people, but they are dedicated to creating these beautiful blankets to help children like mine. 
I had some great e-mail exchanges with Donna as we tried to find the best blanket for my son. She has a tremendous amount of in stock fabrics for families to choose from. We also discussed the size and weight of the blanket, and after talking with my son’s OT, I settled on a seven pound twin blanket for him. In hindsight, I would have probably added a little more weight so it would last longer as he grows. As always, when purchasing a weighted blanket for your child, please consult your occupational therapist to determine the correct weight and size.
Since my son is obsessed with all things Hot Wheels, we settled on a custom Hot Wheels blanket for him. I gave him a heads-up that the blanket was coming, and he checked the mail every day. Luckily, Donna and her staff were very prompt with their shipping, and it arrived at our house very quickly.
And yes, he loves it.
And yes, he’s sleeping with it.
shhh...he's sleeping....
okay...he was just pretending
One of the best things about these blankets is that they are totally machine washable and it can go in the dryer. The care instructions are so easy, which is perfect for a house like ours. With three boys and a dog, you just never know what could get on the blanket. Knowing that I can just throw it in the washer and dryer whenever I need to is a huge bonus for me.
Overall, my son has been pretty pleased with his new blanket, and he takes quite joy in telling his brothers that the blanket is his and not theirs!
So here’s the exciting news!!! Donna has offered to give away a gift certificate for a custom weighted blanket to one of our lucky readers! To enter, complete the form at the end of this post any time between now and midnight EST on June 13, 2011. Remember that you must be a follower of the SPDBN via Google Friend Connect in order to be eligible for this giveaway.
You can check out Affordable Weighted Blankets’ web site here at Affordable Weighted Blankets to see all the great fabric choices for girls and boys. From Nemo to Dora to Thomas the Tank Engine, there’s a blanket that would satisfy any child’s interest. Enter to win today!
