Heavy blanket during meltdown

[Mariette]

I've heard that someone with Asperger's need something to "weigh them down" during a meltdown, like a heavy blanket.
I've also heard that it is better to hold them tight than to leave them alone.

Is this true? Can anyone relate?

PS: My son is four year old with Aspergers. Still trying to figure out how to handle different situations correctly.

 

[Mathalamus]

when i have a meltdown, i tend to just go flat out insane, and then sleep. and i would not want anyone around to witness or help me through it. it would be something im doing myself.

i havent heard of anything like a heavy blanket, or anything, even as comfort.

 

[artfull dodger]

Weighted blankets, along with weighted vests and small lap blankets are a well documented tool to help those on the spectrum calm down along with sleeping better thru the night. I use a weighted blanket year round to help me sleep thru the night. I got mine thru Mosaic Blanket's website. But there are other places. Google search "weighted blankets" and "autism", you will find plenty to read and learn from. Mike

 

[ChurchTheArtist]

It might be a thing come to think of it. Here's how I relate:
When I was a kid, my meltdowns were either extremely dark and self destructive or extremely violent and, well, fully destructive. I don't remember my parents doing much to weigh me down with something, they just left me alone. I think that was a mistake on their part. How could they get mad at me for destroying a room when they weren't there to calm me down? I was just a child with a brain that didn't work right, of course things were going to break if someone bigger didn't stop me.

In times when they did stop me, even when I was little, it was my dad. To be fair, this was the 90's and I wasn't diagnosed yet, aspergers wasn't really a known thing nor was it as pampered as it is today and it was the bible belt south so often I was accused of demon possession. I say that "to be fair" because when my dad did stop me, it wasn't in a loving, hugging way... it was usually in a black belt way. I did learn my place and I don't regret that but it's no wonder we had a rough few decades. Afterwords they did spend time with me to reaffirm their love for me; I wasn't abused, though others will disagree.

I really wished I had something as simple as a blanket or a dog or a close friend/girlfriend that could bring me down in those times. Maybe such a thing could still help. But after I've spend so much time training, I learned how to control the meltdowns for the most part without any damage. Last meltdown I had was after the police left me and my family after I reported the violence from my (now ex) wife when I found out she was sleeping around and she sent her boyfriend(s) to break into my house and threaten me. I was 22 and very underweight (from the poison she was slipping me) but when I had that meltdown....

It took a few chairs, lamps, one kitchen counter and two parents both over 250lb in full tackle to stop me from going through the back brick wall and over the cliff. After the divorce... nothing hurt enough to cause another outburst again. There was no way I could feel more pain than back then so I'm only coming out of the rock bottom and self control is easier when you've felt all the pain you could already. Maybe that is my heavy object...