View Full Version : Advice on weighted blankeys


Leigh
08-23-2007, 08:19 PM
Is there some sort of magical way to get a critter to actually USE one of these? Iain has had one for weeks now and absolutely seems to hate it. He has gone to allowing it to stay on his cot, but will not allow it over him. Little turkey. It is at daycare and they just simply can not get him to use it. Period. I am unsure if it is a texture/familiarity thing or what. I am going to attempt to bring it home for the weekend and see if I can get him to at least tolerate it a bit. I *think* I am supposed to see if he will accept it on his shoulders and such to get him used to it? No clue really and am looking for suggestions here. With any luck, I will find out why he hates it so much. It would be great to have him use it and get one for home as he falls out of his little sleep and snuggle bed ALL THE TIME! A weighted blankey might help with that as he freaks if I put on the side rail to keep him from falling out.

He is exceptionally stuck on certain things and will not allow bedsheets under him, only certain blankeys in bed with him, certain shoes, clothes, etc. He has always been this way, it is not a question of his just being "fussy". For instance, as soon as he could do it, he began to pull up the fitted sheets on his crib mattress. I gave up about 6 months ago on trying to get them to stay on as the OT and such said not to bother as he will not tolerate them.

On the plus side, I got him to change his shoes finally! He had a pair of sandals he was absolutely "stuck" on and would not allow for other shoes in any way. They were too small and his baby toes stuck out the sides. NOT good. However, all attempts to change them to the other shoes were met with full meltdowns, not the little hissy fit or tantrums, but full launches and immediate.

So, I went out and got Crocs for hiim. Little Mickey Mouse ones and crossed my fingers it would work. He would NOT try them on in the store and mere approach with shoes made him shriek as if I was pulling him apart limb by limb, so I left it alone. This morning, I Wilbargered the living daylights out of him, tossed him a fuller morning bottle (he takes an ounce to get down his prevacid), and some fidgits and he was so limp and soggy I slipped them right on with no problem. When I poured him into the daycare he noticed them and just looked at them for a bit, then demanded they be taken off. As the teacher was getting ready to comply, I said to leave them on. It was a "fake" cry and I wanted to make sure he would keep them on as he refuses to wear shoes inside at all and I am so worried he is going to cut his feet someday. She said she would try. Well, it worked! He wore them all day and in fact when they slipped off a few times he screamed and went running to the teacher to have it put back on! WOW! I think I am going to see about getting him another pair so he has one for inside and one for outside. :yahoo: I am SO relieved as he has never taken to shoes in this manner before. Every time I have to change his shoes or change seasons for clothing I face epic battles and this one was GREAT! **begins searching to see if Crocs make a winter boot...**:smt036

Anyone else with sensory kids who have found success with Crocs? I bought a pair for Curran and Walker, too for use at daycare and hopefully to use at school indoors. With any luck, they can carry them back and forth or I will go broke again buying mulitiple pairs of shoes. :hairpull:

sixdogssixcats
08-23-2007, 08:38 PM
Wooho!!!! Crocs does make a more winter-worthy shoe.

http://www.piperlime.com/browse/product.do?cid=4016&pid=530586&scid=530586002

AvasMommy
08-23-2007, 08:42 PM
Crocs DOES make winter boots, Leigh!!!! Crocs are the ONLY shoes Ava will tolerate. Stride Rite, $56 cute little tennis shoes? NOPE. Vans, nope. Converse, nope. Crocs it is! She can wear them all year here, and I don't care...I'll buy every color! Well, the ones we don't already have, that is.:oops:

NO help on the weighted blanky...the only "blanky" Ava will use is Big Snuggly. She cannot stand our comforter, or another blanket, and freaks if it touches her, which makes snuggling in bed w/ her a COLD and not so nice experience most of the time...and she won't share her "Swimmy", as she calls him.:hissyfit:

Good luck with this, and I'll check in to see what everyone else has to say! I've heard so much talk about the blanket, but don't know a whole lot about it.

Lori
08-23-2007, 09:15 PM
Leigh, here are Crocs boots. It's too bad they aren't small enough, or Brenna would have to have a pair, too.

http://shop.crocs.com/pc-54-4-kids-georgie.aspx?reqid=54&reqProdTypeId=41p&subsectionname=footwear&section=products

These might be good for winter, too. They look so warm!

http://shop.crocs.com/pc-435-4-kids-mammoth.aspx?reqid=435&reqProdTypeId=41p&subsectionname=footwear&section=products

I wish I could help with the blanket. I think bringing it home is a great first step. Maybe you can use the same approach as the Crocs to get him used to it. Maybe some really good Wilbarger and then off to bed with the blankie???

Leigh
08-23-2007, 10:17 PM
I actually can not Wilbarger the daylights out of him before bed. I can not do it less than one hour before bedtime as I have to watch for reaction since he has such a strong vaso-vegal response. :( I might be able to do it during the day and attempt to get the whirling dervish to relax with the blankey? Hmmm... I might just be better to sew in some anvils to see how that works out. lol

WOWZA! We have a lot of croc lovers here! I am definitely going to have to check them out more closely. I had seen them before (who hasn't?!) but resisted them due to price and the fact they are hideously ugly. :haha:

Thanks for the links, but unless they have a boot that is certified for weather such as -40 C, it will do me no good. I need higher boots which will make sure the kids will not disappear in snowdrifts and are able to protect against extreme cold. Remember, I am in Canada. We do not have "mild" weather here. :smt036

I find it interesting that sensory critters tolerate Crocs. Any others? I wonder what it is about them which is so different for our kids to tolerate and even like them? I will have to try on a pair myself to see. lol

sixdogssixcats
08-23-2007, 10:21 PM
I think SI kids like them because they are so light. Space-age polymers and such. :haha:

BraydenandBrynasMom
08-23-2007, 10:21 PM
No idea on the blanket - but I think that is strange about Crocs and sensory kids. Brayden tolerates his shoes, but definitely wants them off the minute we get home. However, about a month ago he found Skechers Crocs in the store and put them on when I wasn't looking. No matter what I did, I couldn't get them off him so I had to buy them! They are definitely his favorite shoe but I don't know why...

Becky in NM
08-23-2007, 10:24 PM
This doesn't answer any of your questions, but I thought I'd throw it out....

A boy in D's preschool sometimes wears a weighted vest. I assume it's a sensory thing -- seems to calm him down. Might something like that help?

Leigh
08-23-2007, 10:28 PM
No idea on the blanket - but I think that is strange about Crocs and sensory kids. Brayden tolerates his shoes, but definitely wants them off the minute we get home. However, about a month ago he found Skechers Crocs in the store and put them on when I wasn't looking. No matter what I did, I couldn't get them off him so I had to buy them! They are definitely his favorite shoe but I don't know why...


Am I the only one finding this fascinating? It is extraoridinary that SI kids love these shoes! What is the likelihood of that?

And am I the only one who thinks they are hideously ugly?!

I think Lesley is right, they are super light and it must feel like they are not wearing shoes. Has an adult got a pair? I will have to try some on this weekend and see what the fuss is about.

Do the SI kids allow you to freely change out for other Crocs? Iain gets totally stuck on a pair of shoes and will NOT allow you to change him out at all until he pretty much is forced out of them. Makes for fun times.:angry7:

Leigh
08-23-2007, 10:31 PM
This doesn't answer any of your questions, but I thought I'd throw it out....

A boy in D's preschool sometimes wears a weighted vest. I assume it's a sensory thing -- seems to calm him down. Might something like that help?

I have heard of them and it has been mentioned by someone on Iain's team. Darned if I can remember who, but they held off as Iain was not tolerating even a lifejacket at swimming back then. Just recently, he has become tolerant of a lifejacket and this is a HUGE deal. Only took one year to get that.

I know they want him to have these weighted items, just no idea how they will do this.

Still waiting to hear from our ABA person and arrange a combined services meeting yet again. oh, joy.

Debbie
08-23-2007, 11:41 PM
Jayden has many pairs of shoe ...grandma loves shoes:smt036 ...and he will wear any of them, but the only ones he will go get to put on and try to put on himself are his Crocks??? This is interesting and I have to be inclined to think it is because they are light weight too???? As for the weighted blanky ?????? Can you put it on him after he has fallen asleep and maybe he would get used to the feel unconsciously?? I know Jaydens OT has put weights on his legs several times and depending on his mood he thinks there cool one day...and has a complete snit fit about them another.

Lori
08-24-2007, 09:43 AM
Leigh, I wear my Crocs for work. Yes, they aren't the prettiest shoes, but are incredibly comfortable. They are kind of foamy/spongy KWIM? So they cushion the foot well. They are also incredibly light. I love mine! Maybe the kiddos recognize that as well. Brenna loves hers. She will actually put them on herself and isn't happy about taking them off, either.