Weighted Blankets and Sleep Quality in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Single-Subject Design
1
College of Rehabilitation Sciences, Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions, Provo, UT 84606, USA
2
School of Rehabilitation and Communication Sciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID 83209, USA
3
Mary Lanning Healthcare, Hastings, NE 68901, USA
4
Idaho Home Health and Hospice, Gooding, ID 83330, USA
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Children 2021, 8(1), 10; https://doi.org/10.3390/children8010010
Received: 11 November 2020
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Revised: 15 December 2020
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Accepted: 24 December 2020
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Published: 27 December 2020
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Disorders of Motor, Somatic and Cognitive Development in Children with Neurodysfunctions)
The purpose of the study was to explore the efficacy of weighted blanket applications and sleep quality in children with autism spectrum disorder and behavioral manifestations of sensory processing deficits. Two 4-year-old participants diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder who also experienced sleep disturbances took part in a single-subject design study. Objective sleep measures and caregiver surveys were tracked for a baseline period of eight days, followed by a 14-day weighted blanket intervention and a seven-day withdrawal phase. Caregiver reports and objective data were evaluated using visual analysis and the percentage of non-overlapping data methods. The results suggest minimal changes in sleep patterns as a result of the weighted blanket intervention. The findings based on using a weighted blanket intervention were enhanced morning mood after night use and a significantly decreased time to fall asleep for participants, though they were not strong enough to recommend for clinical use. Future directions include single-subject and cohort-designed studies exploring the efficacy of weighted blankets with increasing sleep quality among children with autism.
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MDPI and ACS Style
Gee, B.M.; Lloyd, K.; Sutton, J.; McOmber, T. Weighted Blankets and Sleep Quality in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Single-Subject Design. Children 2021, 8, 10. https://doi.org/10.3390/children8010010
AMA Style
Gee BM, Lloyd K, Sutton J, McOmber T. Weighted Blankets and Sleep Quality in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Single-Subject Design. Children. 2021; 8(1):10. https://doi.org/10.3390/children8010010
Chicago/Turabian StyleGee, Bryan M., Kimberly Lloyd, Jesse Sutton, and Tyler McOmber. 2021. "Weighted Blankets and Sleep Quality in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Single-Subject Design" Children 8, no. 1: 10. https://doi.org/10.3390/children8010010
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