Weighted Blankets For Children: The Best Weight

I have to admit I absolutely love my weighted blanket and love to cuddle up with it and baby R. Okay, so maybe baby R isn’t so much a baby anymore as he’s almost 2, but he’ll always be my baby.

I’ve thought about getting him his own weighted blanket, but I wasn’t sure. So I got to thinking should we use a weighted blanket with children?

After looking into a weighted blanket for children there is a lot to take into consideration. As much joy as I get out of my weighted blanket and the best sleep of my life under that thing, it takes a lot to pick it up and move it.

That’s when I realized I had a 25-pound weighted blanket. I love it, but I now realize I’m sleeping under a rock.

That rock makes for some amazing sleep though! I highly recommend you try one, just with the right weight.

The Best Weighted Blanket For Children: How Much Weight Is Too Much?

The Best Weighted Blanket For Children: How Much Weight Is Too Much? #weightedblankets #weightedblanketsforkids #weightedblanketsforchildren

Recommended Weighted Blanket For Children:

When choosing a weighted blanket it’s recommended that you get one that weighs 7-12% of your body weight. Research shows it will relax your nervous system and make you feel comfortable. For children, it’s recommended that you get one that weighs 10% plus 1 pound of their body weight.

But, should we get a weighted blanket for our child?

It’s highly recommended to consult with an occupational therapist before using a weighted blanket for a toddler or child. Putting weight on their joints and bones while they are still growing can cause problems with development.

Generally, weighted blankets that you find on the Target shelf are 12 pounds. That puts the max of 12% on a 100-pound person. A 12-pound blanket for 7% of body weight puts the minimum at an 84-pound person. That 12-pound blanket can be way too heavy for children under 60 pounds.

Reasons why children shouldn’t have weighted blankets:

They’re too heavy

My weighted blanket is 25-pounds, if I was to put it on R while he was sleeping, he wouldn’t be able to get it off of him in his sleep.

Even though the weight is dispersed throughout the blanket, there are still several pounds in one area that would have to be moved if he decided to roll in his sleep.

That’s a lot of weight for a 30 lb child.

They can cause suffocation

With the amount of weight in one square, if a child manages to work the blanket up around their face they may not be able to get it off.

It can also put too much weight on their chest, causing them to have trouble breathing.

It’s highly recommended to consult with an occupational therapist before using a weighted blanket for a toddler or child.

The Best Weighted Blanket For Children

The best-weighted blanket for a child isn’t a specific brand, but the correct weight. Get one that weighs 10% of your child’s body weight plus 1 pound.

The benefits of a weighted blanket are amazing. It’s great for those who have anxiety or trouble sleeping. Weighted blankets come in various sizes. I’ve seen them anywhere from 3 to 35 pounds.

Now they make 3 lb weighted blankets for children with Paw Patrol on them!

With the popularity of weighted blankets on the rise is it really something we need to watch when getting them for our children.