Frequently Asked Questions

How can I request a catalog or/and get in touch with you with questions or requests?

Please email us at sommerfly@cox.net or call us at 401-286-6871 or 401-575-3830.

Do you accept Purchase Orders?

Yes, we do accept Purchase Orders. Please either fax them to 401-632-4224, email them to sommerfly@cox.net or mail then to Sommerfly, LLC PO Box 10451 Cranston, RI 02910.

Why do you not recommend the 10% of body weight or 10% of body weight plus 1 pound as many other blanket makers do?

This weight recommendation is based on the research done on weighted vests and backpacks. Weighted blankets are used in an entirely different way. The individual is not standing or bearing the weight of the blanket while standing as is the case with weighted vests and backpacks. The useful weight for Weighted Blanket is most often more than 10% of the persons body weight and should be heavy enough to be effective but light enough for the user to remove the blanket at will.

How did you come up with the weight recommendations for the Weighted Blankets?

These are recommnedations based on experience trying different weights for many individuals during my work in therapy clinics as an Occupational Therapist. These are the weights that we have found to be most commonly effective as reported by parents, the users and my observations.

Why use weighted products?

Weighted products help children and adults calm down, relax and focus. Weighted products give deep pressure touch to the skin. Deep pressure touch is sometimes referred to as deep pressure or firm touch. Deep pressure touch helps to calm us. Some examples of calming uses of deep pressure touch that you may be familiar with are a hand resting gently on your shoulder, a comforting bear hug, the swaddling of a baby, using many blankets at nighttime to get to sleep and the relaxing effect of the x-ray shield at the dentist’s office.

Many adults and children experience stress, some as a result of medical diagnoses and others as a result of getting through every day experiences. Use of weighted products achieves excellent results in improving relaxation, focus and calm.

Recent studies done at Mental Health facilities have seen a decrease in the required use of restraints by over 50% when weighted blankets were made available to the Patients.

Where can I see how much shipping costs will be?

You need to add the items you are interested in to the Shopping Cart and proceed to the checkout. On the first page of the checkout process, enter your shipping information and select the shipping method. Then click on 'Apply' and the shipping charges will be calculated.

Why aren't your Products available in bright colors and patterns?

The colors selected for use are earth tones intended to help with the calming and focusing process. Bright colors and interesting patterns attract attention and can lead to further distraction and alerting instead of calming and focusing. We do offer patterns and bright colors options for the covers as these tend to be used at night with dimmed lights or the lights off and therefore would not tend to be distracting under those circumstances.

My child has a hard time sitting still to do homework and paying attention at school. Will weighted products help?

Yes, weighted products have been shown to be very effective in helping children sit still and focus. They help us bring our bodies into a calm focused state which is where we need to be in order to concentrate, learn and be productive. We are confident that our weighted products will help your child become calmer so they can focus and have more success with their daily activities at school and at home.

My child is being seen by an Occupational Therapist. Should I ask mu OT if my child would benefit from weighted products?

Yes, definitely ask your child's Occupational Therapist if they think weighted products will be helpful for your child.

I have difficulty getting to sleep. My child has difficulty getting to sleep. Can we benefit from a weighted blanket?

Yes, the deep pressure touch provided by the weighted blanket will help calm you and your child. Deep pressure touch (firm touch) is similar to the experience of when a baby is swaddled to help him calm. We need to feel calm when we try to fall asleep. Most of us have experienced the tossing and turning and waking that happens when we are not calm and we try to go to sleep. Try The Sleep Tight™ weighted blanket and experience the calm that leads to more restful sleep.

Can you benefit from weighted products if you or your child has a hard time calming down and relaxing?

Weighted products help children and adults get deep pressure touch to the body that helps them get to and remain in a calm and focused state. Try a Lapper™ or Wrap Arounds™ for your child or The Relaxer™ for you to provide gentle but firm pressure to soothe and calm down.

How do I know what size and weight product is right for me and my child?

The conventional wisdom and the accepted guideline on carrying weight for children is that it should not be more than 10% of a child’s body weight. When using weighted products to achieve calming results when sitting or lying down, more weight on the body is usually required. The use of more weight on the body is safe and effective because the person is not standing and bearing the weight on their body frame.

We have provided size guidelines based on weight and age that have been shown to be safe and effective. You or your child may need more or less weight depending on personal preferences. If you have further questions about weight usage please contact your Occupational Therapist or Doctor or please feel free to e-mail us at sommerfly@cox.net.

Weighted products should be used under adult supervision and wearing time guidelines adhered to for maximum benefits.

Can the Sleep Tight™ weighted blanket be worn all night long?

Unlike other weighted products worn during the day that have wearing time limitations, The Sleep Tight™ weighted blanket can be worn all night or may be taken off after the person has fallen asleep.

What is used to weight the products?

We fill our products with non-toxic hypoallergenic PET pellets. Our products may be machine washed and air dried. Do not use heat when drying our products.

What can I do to help improve attention in my child?

We can help a child with their attention first by understanding whether the child is under stimulated or over stimulated and then by identifying appropriate Sensory Strategies for the time and place.

We are hard wired to help ourselves pay attention. We use Sensory Strategies without even knowing what we are doing or why we are doing it. When we shift our position in our chair, tap a pencil, bite on our lip, sip on a drink or take a deep breath we can be helping ourselves pay attention. Innately, we give our bodies the sensation we need to pay attention. Weighted products such as The Lapper™, our weighted lap bag or Wrap Arounds™, our weighted sashes are particularly helpful to improve attention in children. Other useful techniques may include:

a. Limit computer and television time. Encourage fun physical activity. Children need to move, touch and use their muscles every day.

b. Be sensitive to the child’s leading. He may start to fidget with something inappropriate, give him something appropriate to fidget with instead of just telling him to stop.

c. Provide healthy sensory rich snack foods for crunching, chewing and sucking, especially during sit down work times.

What are Sensory Strategies and what are they used for?

Sensory Strategies are used by everyone to either calm ourselves or to remain alert whether we are conscious of using them or not. Sensory Strategies may also be referred to as a Sensory Diet.

Many of us have experienced sitting through a meeting or a class and getting to the end of it and realizing that we haven’t really heard any of the content. We were preoccupied with other thoughts and/or other things going on in the room at the same time. We are hard wired to help ourselves pay attention but sometimes we need extra help or reminders to use Sensory Strategies to help us focus. Oftentimes, we use Sensory Strategies without even knowing what we are doing or why we are doing it. Innately, we give our bodies the sensation we need to pay attention. Some of us have found out what extra sensations we need to help us focus. We may sip on coffee or a soda when we are expected to listen to a speaker. Some of us find something to hold in our hands that we can fidget with to help us focus on a task. Some of us need to get up to take a stretch and walk break. Some of us put something heavy on our laps to help us stay in one place.

To be our most productive we all do many of these things with our body without even realizing it to help us get into, or maintain, a calm and focused state. These things we do are called Sensory Strategies because they engage one or more of our senses to help with our level of alertness. Sensory Strategies are powerful tools to get a person to an optimal level of attention for a given activity throughout the life span. When we intentionally use Sensory Strategies with increased intensity and frequency we can optimize of ability to be calm and focused.

Why do we use Sensory Strategies?

Sensory Strategies such as deep pressure touch (firm touch) to the body and heavy work for our joints and muscles are an extremely effective way to get into, and maintain a calm and focused state. When we are taught additional Sensory Strategies and employ these we are better able to socialize, learn and live. Being too alert, anxious or physically active interferes with our ability to learn new things, enjoy social interactions and even get to sleep quickly.

As children or adults, we all need firm touch to our bodies and heavy work for our muscles and joints. We don’t usually realize the major role these sensations play in keeping us successful in our everyday routines until we are deprived of experiencing them or if some kind of dysfunction is present.

We tend to seek out more sensations (Sensory Strategies) to help us become calmer and focused when there is increased stress in our lives. When we increase the intensity of Sensory Strategies, such as deep pressure touch to the body, we experience increased calm and focus.

What are the Sensory Strategies many of us use to help us pay attention?

Shake your leg, push hands together, push hands on leg, shift your position in the chair, brush your hand through your hair, fidget with your pencil, tap your foot, wiggle your leg, run your teeth across your lips, take a deep breath, hold your breath , let your breath out slowly through pursed lips or puffed cheeks, chew gum, sip on a drink, eat a crunchy or chewy snack, eat something spicy, or sour.

Why do children seem to move and seek sensation more than adults?

Children need to experience sensation more frequently and intensely than adults do because their nervous system is developing and requires sensory-motor experiences to facilitate that development. Weighted products used for up to 30 minutes at a time are effective in helping to promote this calm and focused state. Weighted products may be used many times during the day.