What is the benefit of using weighted materials?

Many children with sensory processing disorders crave constant proprioception and deep touch pressure to enhance their sense of body position in space. They may generate this type of input by inadvertently bumping into other children or crashing into walls or objects. One way to proactively provide proprioception and deep touch pressure is through the use of weighted materials.

Constant deep, even pressure is calming and organizing, which can help to decrease fidgeting and in-seat movement. Consequently, children often show improved attention to the task at hand as their sensory needs are met in a systemic fashion.

Weighted Basics:

• In conjunction with your child’s occupational therapist, create an individualized schedule for wearing weighted materials.
• Children will benefit most from wearing something weighted during their most challenging times of day, such as starting the day, circle time, and homework and sleep.
• Weighted materials should be used with the guidance of your child’s occupational therapist.
• Weighted vests can be purchased with varying amounts of weight to best suit the needs of the individual child.
• Use the least amount of weight necessary to achieve the desired results.
• Children often wear a weighted vest for 30-60 minutes during an activity, with at least one hour off in between wearing.
• Weighted pencils provide the proprioceptive input to enhance a child’s sense of their fingers to enhance writing ability.

Aviva Goldwasser, MS, OTR & Chaye Lamm Warburg, DPS, OTR, Director of POTS

I am delighted to announce that I will be presenting a poster at the American Occupational Therapy Association’s annual conference, entitled The Effectiveness of a Digital Metronome Program on Visual and Gross Motor Performance in a Single Case Design.  The study was done in collaboration with Aviva Goldwasser and served as the basis for my doctoral work at NYU. 

The subject for the study was a 9 year old boy with ADHD, sensory hypersensitivity, poor handwriting and limited organizational skills. Over the course of the 24 week study he received sensory integration based occupational therapy once a week. There were two experimental time periods during which, for 5-10 minutes during his occupational therapy session, he also learned simple exercises to a beat generated by a digital metronome. These exercises were carried out at home 3-4 times per week for 5-10 minutes. Timing and rhythmicity were tracked using the Interactive Metronome each session.   

The results of the study indicated that timing, visual motor integration and motor coordination improved with the use of the digital metronome, especially during the first 12 weeks. The gains remained stable during the last 6 weeks of the study, in which the digital metronome program was not administered. Most important for the family, child’s mother reported that he had become independent in starting and completing homework without constant reminders, his handwriting improved and he was more attentive. The advantage of using the digital metronome was that impressive improvements occurred using an inexpensive, portable device without the child did not have to be tethered to a computer; as he would be for Interactive Metronome.  While these results cannot be generalized to all children, I am encouraged by the results and hope to expand the study to incorporate more clients ages 7-10 into the study.

For further information, please contact me at chaye@potsot.com.

Dr. Chaye Lamm Warburg, DPS, OTR/L