Weighted Vest

Soon after I finished the last post I made Ethan a weighted vest. They cost anywhere from

70-150$. It seems anything therapeutic, especially when a disability is involved, is so expensive. So I did a little online research and made my own. Here is my first attempt.

I started with a normal vest pattern and substituted a zipper for buttons.

Before I sewed the lining to the shell I sewed pockets with Velcro closures into the lining.

I made 8 pouches full of rice and made them so they are just small enough to fit into each pocket. I weighed each pouch so they are 4 oz each. The vest weighs 2 lbs. I used rice instead of poly pellets, which are basically small plastic washable beads, because poly pellets are expensive, and rice is practically free. This way I can just pull all the pouches out when I wash it.

The first time I put it on him a huge smile spread across his face and he wouldn't take it off for two days, even sleeping in it. It seems to be helping him immensely, especially when we are out in public. He wears it to school everyday. He loves it. We went to the fair and he was wearing his sunglasses, vest, and earplugs. He was happy and relaxed. Not anxiety ridden like he was at Disneyland.

With the success of this endeavor I decided to make two more.

Another one for school.

I made him this one for church. It has a Velcro closure but I sewed buttons on top. I don't really like how the weights pull at the fabric and make the vest pucker at the bottom, but I didn't want to use fabric that was too heavy for fear that Ethan would get too hot wearing it. I'll have to play around with it a little.

In addition to the weighted vest medication has been changed. Also we took everything out of his room except his bed. His dresser and books and some of his toys are all in his closet. We wanted to give him a quiet, calming place to relax. We are looking for a rocking chair to put in his room because he likes to rock in them when he's frustrated, or sad. His good days have far outnumbered his bad days lately. I totally claim that as a success.

Also he might be put in a special class for autistic kids since he is having such a hard time in a normal class. The great thing about the class is the curriculum is the same but the environment is very controlled. It is very quiet, the lights are low, and there are only 5 kids in the class. The teacher is trained to deal with kids like Ethan. In fact the teacher has a son who is autistic.

Also, we went to the open house at school and Mr. Blessing, the principle, came up to us (he knows us all too well) and told us he was praying for us. I really love that man. His name fits him because that is what he has been for us. He is a really Christ like man and he shows it in how he cares for and serves his students and his community.