Autism Awareness: Weighted Blankets

April is Autism Awareness Month, so let's take a moment to think about the people you know who may be affected by the disorder. With 1 in 68 children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)*, you probably know at least one family that is affected. Autism takes less notice of race and socioeconomic status* than we do, but boys are more likely to be diagnosed than girls.* And if parents have one child who is autistic, they have a 2%-18% chance that another child in their family will also have autism.*

Caring for a child with ASD can be difficult on the family. The stress of dealing with the child's medical and social needs can put stress on the marriage. Other children within the family may feel neglected. The family's resources may need to be reallocated to cover needs not covered by insurance, and if one parent needs to stop working, that's a whole different kind of stress.

But what about the child? By definition, a person with ASD has trouble communicating, so it is hard to know what they feel or how their environment affects them. Many people with ASD experience sleep issues, perhaps because of the sensory issues they face. Some families have experienced the calming effects of a weighted blanket, saying the child preferred a weighted blanket to a non-weighted one. A study published in Pediatrics in 2014 said doctors didn't see a change in sleep patterns, but if the child preferred it, isn't that a good thing?

You can purchase weighted blankets in many places, but if you know someone with ASD and fancy yourself a quilter, perhaps you'd like to try your hand at making one. I found this youtube video featuring Rob Appel from Man Sewing. Besides the fact that he is fun to watch, the step-by-step DIY is easy to follow and he offers tips and tricks to help you.

If you try your hand at it, post a picture on the facebook page!

*All statistics come from the CDC website.