5 Best Products for Autistic Children: Weighted Blankets and Other Items

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 1 in 68 children has been identified with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Autism spans all racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups, and is about 4 times more common among boys (1 in 42) than among girls (1 in189).

Living with autism presents challenges most other families do not face. No parent is ever prepared to hear that a child is anything other than happy and healthy, and an ASD diagnosis can be particularly frightening. Fortunately, there are some products that meet the everyday needs of our kids with autism. These products can be real lifesavers, and might just give parents, caregivers and teachers a few more minutes of peace each day.   In this article, from the Dark Den and b-Calm headphones to toys and weighted blankets, we’re highlighting our five favourite products that have amazing benefits for children with autism.

1. Sensory Den and light-up accessories

The Sensory Den (previously known as the Dark Den) is a large, square, tent-like structure that fixes together with poles and provides a secure, safe and darkened place which some people with autism may find useful. The Sensory Den provides a calm area that can be used to help reduce the amount of stimulation for those that are sensory avoiders, or provide a safe space to explore preferred stimulation activities for sensory seekers. For example, it can be used with light-up toys and gadgets. The den and its accessories are great to use at home or at school.

2. Weighted blankets

Weighted blankets are a must-have for children with autism. The weighted blanket is a popular therapeutic product came from Deep Pressure Therapy. Designed to weigh 10% of your child’s body weight, weighted blankets put gentle pressure on your child’s sensory receptors. This Deep Pressure Therapy calms the nervous system by triggering the release of serotonin and dopamine. These “happy hormones” not only elevate mood, but give your child’s brain the chance to organize sensory input. 

Weighted blankets also improve spatial awareness by providing proprioceptive input. The weight of the blanket allows their child to feel their movements, giving them a better understanding of the location of their body which can reduce the severity of the meltdown.

The effects of weighted blankets don’t appear straight away. To use a weighted blanket for your child, it can take time, from a few hours to a few days. Fortunately, once it registers with your child, they begin to feel a little calmer. Eventually, they should feel ready to get on with the rest of their day.

Before ordering a weighted blanket for your children, remember that they should be no more than 10% of your child’s body weight plus 1 or 2 pounds, and the weighted blankets of any kind shouldn’t be used until a child is over 24 months of age.   Personally, we recommend YnM Kid’s Weighted Blanket (10 lbs, 41''x60'') as the best choice.  The blanket is made from Cotton and has a unique 7-layer system, making the blanket support and contour to your kids shape for an even greater level of comfort. In addition, YnM is one of Amazon Best Sellers, got 4.5 out of 5 stars and over 3000 reviews.  YnM always provides the most budget-friendly weighted blanket combined with 3-year-long customer service, the incredible blanket costs you no more than US$100.

3. A text-based app helping nonverbal autistic children communicate

Proloquo4Text is a text-based app that instantly turns typed words into speech. The app, which was designed for nonverbal people, can be customized to display the words and phrases an individual uses often. The app also features word and sentence prediction that learns a user's communication patterns for faster responses. Users can also choose their own voice on Proloquo4Text, giving them autonomy over not only what they say, but how they say it.

4. The toy helping autistic kids communicate through music

Synchrony is a drum-like device helping autistic children engage with others through music. It can be used as formal or informal music therapy, which has been proven to help autistic children broaden their social and emotional skills. The smooth, silicon instrument helps autistic kids bridge social gaps by letting them harmonize — literally — with playmates. Synchrony responds to touch, always playing calming sounds without dissonance or "bad notes," which can sometimes be overwhelming for autistic children.

5. b-Calm Headphones

These therapy headphones are different from most noise reduction ear muffs which only muffle sound. Instead of muffling noise, the b-Calm Headphones also include earbuds and an mp3 player with “acoustic shield” audio tracks. These tracks feature specially designed white noise that makes typically distracting noises unnoticeable to the listener. It also features soothing nature tracks to help calm and recenter agitated special needs students. These options make the b-Calm Headphones perfect for both overstimulated students and for students prone to distraction!