Jun 22 2008
Summer, Sleep and Sensory Integration
During the winter, instead of using a single fiber-filled comforter, I’ve learned to layer blankets on my son’s bed. This has the effect of keeping him warm and providing a nice amount of weight to provide soothing sensory input. But in the summer, when it’s too warm for anything, how can that sensory need be met?
I have another friend who had a similar issue with her teenage son who would also insist on wearing long pants and sleeves. But there’s a big difference when a seven year old sweats and when a teenage boy sweats. Yet still need some sort of weights in order to sleep well.
You could always run the air conditioning (if you have it - my son does not and will not have an AC in his room) and then pile on the blankets, but with energy costs on a rapid rise, that may not be the smartest thing to do. So there must be something that is heavy enough, yet lightweight enough. Here are my two ideas:
1) A Mexican yoga blanket - These don’t offer the perfect solution, but they certainly help. They tend to be weighty, but still breathe so are not extremely hot. They are also not very expensive. We use ceiling fans, so the combination of ceiling fan and three-pound blanket is not bad.
2) Tight tucking - Sometimes deep, squeezing pressure can be a good substitute for weight, but if a child is particularly squirmy (like Gus), a top sheet sized to the bed may not stay tucked in very well. I purchased top sheets for Gus that were a size larger than his bed. That way, they can be tucked all the way under the mattress and he stays nice and snug.
Those are the two things I’ve tried, and they have worked reasonably well. I am working on another idea to take some lightweight fabric (or sheets) and fill them in strategic spots to provide weight, but I have yet to figure out the logistics.
How do you cope with sensory integration challenges during the summer?
