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American Academy of Pediatrics
Article

Weighted Blankets and Sleep in Autistic Children—A Randomized Controlled Trial

Paul Gringras, Dido Green, Barry Wright, Carla Rush, Masako Sparrowhawk, Karen Pratt, Victoria Allgar, Naomi Hooke, Danielle Moore, Zenobia Zaiwalla and Luci Wiggs
Pediatrics August 2014, 134 (2) 298-306; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2013-4285
Paul Gringras
aChildren’s Sleep Medicine, Evelina London Children’s Hospital, St Thomas’ Hospital, London, United Kingdom;
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Dido Green
bCentre for Rehabilitation and
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Barry Wright
cLime Trees Child and Family Unit, York, England; and
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Carla Rush
aChildren’s Sleep Medicine, Evelina London Children’s Hospital, St Thomas’ Hospital, London, United Kingdom;
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Masako Sparrowhawk
dDepartment of Psychology, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, United Kingdom;
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Karen Pratt
aChildren’s Sleep Medicine, Evelina London Children’s Hospital, St Thomas’ Hospital, London, United Kingdom;
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Victoria Allgar
dDepartment of Psychology, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, United Kingdom;
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Naomi Hooke
cLime Trees Child and Family Unit, York, England; and
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Danielle Moore
cLime Trees Child and Family Unit, York, England; and
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Zenobia Zaiwalla
eDepartment of Clinical Neurophysiology, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
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Luci Wiggs
dDepartment of Psychology, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, United Kingdom;
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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of a weighted-blanket intervention in treating severe sleep problems in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

METHODS: This phase III trial was a randomized, placebo-controlled crossover design. Participants were aged between 5 years and 16 years 10 months, with a confirmed ASD diagnosis and severe sleep problems, refractory to community-based interventions. The interventions were either a commercially available weighted blanket or otherwise identical usual weight blanket (control), introduced at bedtime; each was used for a 2-week period before crossover to the other blanket. Primary outcome was total sleep time (TST) recorded by actigraphy over each 2-week period. Secondary outcomes included actigraphically recorded sleep-onset latency, sleep efficiency, assessments of child behavior, family functioning, and adverse events. Sleep was also measured by using parent-report diaries.

RESULTS: Seventy-three children were randomized and analysis conducted on 67 children who completed the study. Using objective measures, the weighted blanket, compared with the control blanket, did not increase TST as measured by actigraphy and adjusted for baseline TST. There were no group differences in any other objective or subjective measure of sleep, including behavioral outcomes. On subjective preference measures, parents and children favored the weighted blanket.

CONCLUSIONS: The use of a weighted blanket did not help children with ASD sleep for a longer period of time, fall asleep significantly faster, or wake less often. However, the weighted blanket was favored by children and parents, and blankets were well tolerated over this period.

  • autism spectrum disorder
  • severe sleep problems
  • weighted blankets
  • total sleep time
  • children
  • Accepted April 30, 2014.
  • Copyright © 2014 by the American Academy of Pediatrics
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Pediatrics
Vol. 134, Issue 2
1 Aug 2014
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Weighted Blankets and Sleep in Autistic Children—A Randomized Controlled Trial
Paul Gringras, Dido Green, Barry Wright, Carla Rush, Masako Sparrowhawk, Karen Pratt, Victoria Allgar, Naomi Hooke, Danielle Moore, Zenobia Zaiwalla, Luci Wiggs
Pediatrics Aug 2014, 134 (2) 298-306; DOI: 10.1542/peds.2013-4285

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Weighted Blankets and Sleep in Autistic Children—A Randomized Controlled Trial
Paul Gringras, Dido Green, Barry Wright, Carla Rush, Masako Sparrowhawk, Karen Pratt, Victoria Allgar, Naomi Hooke, Danielle Moore, Zenobia Zaiwalla, Luci Wiggs
Pediatrics Aug 2014, 134 (2) 298-306; DOI: 10.1542/peds.2013-4285
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    • Autism/ASD

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