Weighted Hug Vest - Unisex

Weighted deep pressure vest is made to calm and provide steady proprioceptive input. The combined pressure and weight functions as a reassuring deep hug. Made of neoprene, the vests are designed for comfort with soft mesh material on the sides to increase air flow and ventilation. The stretchy neoprene provides soothing proprioceptive input and compression around the body, helping to calm and promote self regulation.    The weight provides additional sensory input for those who need it.   This vest is a good middle ground coming somewhere between our weighted jacket and deep pressure vest.   It's lighter than the weighted jackets and does not give as much compression as the deep pressure vest, but falls nicely in between with a combination of the weighted and deep pressure. Click here to watch the Weighted Hug Vest Product Video. The deep pressure provided by weighted jackets has a ‘calming and organising’ effect on the body's proprioceptive system. The jackets are commonly recommended by Occupational Therapists for use in the classroom to increase attention-span and reduce the hyperactivity often seen in children with autism, ADHD, and sensory or learning difficulties.   A weighted vest can benefit children who: have autism, ADHD, or sensory processing disorder display hyperactivity, such as excessive shifting in their seat have a short attention-span and are easily distracted show tactile sensitivities such as needing to touch everything, or being resistant to touch have a poor awareness of their body position display self-stimulatory behaviour such as rocking, twirling, and chewing Occupational Therapist Nancy Vandenberg conducted research on children with ADHD and the use of weighted vests in the classroom (Vandenberg 2001). Students with ADHD were studied in the classroom performing fine motor activities for 15 minute periods, both with and without a weighted vest. The research showed that concentration on tasks increased by 18% to 25% in all students tested. Additionally, 75% of the pupils frequently asked to wear the vest even when they weren’t being observed. Nancy Vandenberg’s research recommends using a jacket for maximum periods of 30 to 40 minutes before giving the child a rest for a similar period before using it again.  Jackets may have weight around the waist area only, or offer weight around the shoulder area as a way of applying deep pressure to the upper body. The better jackets are discrete and have a “non clinical” look – without close inspection you would not know it was a ‘special’ jacket. This is an important feature for all using the jacket, particularly for children in mainstream schools, who don’t want to stand out from their peers. Weighted jackets are designed for the classroom or other passive activities. They are not recommended for outside play or any other physical activities. In addition to the classroom, weighted jackets are useful in a wide variety of other environments such as restaurants, cafes, church, or cinemas when it is necessary for the child to sit calmly for a period of time. Other situations may include, for example, a busy shopping centre to help keep a child calm and reduce anxiety.