13/01/2025
So here is a sample of my fidget blankets. And the story behind them.
Until a few year ago I hadn’t really thought much about autism, Special needs or neuro diverse and I hadn’t really grappled with the idea of dementia. After all it happened to other people, not us. My sons were all premature and had extra needs and delayed development but it wasn’t really spoken about.
Then in 2023 everything changed. My dad, 80 at the time, was diagnosed with mixed dementia. For various reasons I hadn’t spoken to him for 9 years, so getting back in touch was a difficult decision and seeing the change in him was a shock. At the same time my little granddaughter was starting to show signs that she wasn’t developing as a 2 year old should. But we thought she just needed more time. She wasn’t developing born with congenital gloucoma and had to have an operation at 12 months to release the pressure in her eye. There were indications that she wasn’t doing things kids at her age did. And in the end we were told she probably had autism. When my dad was also suddenly diagnosed with dementia I was confronted with two things I hadn’t really had to understand before.
As we have learned more about both of these I have come to realise that there aren’t a lot of things available out there and some of what is available is mass produced and very much the same.
I came across the term ‘Fidget Blanket’ whilst talking to staff at the care home and I decided to try making them myself. I wanted something robust, hard wearing and child/adult proof. But a sensory experience that gave different textures and kept the child as well as the adult with dementia occupied.
And here are a few of them. There’s colour, soft as well as tough textures, items that can be stretched and a zip, a pocket, a bell, something that crackles and laces as well as tags made from different materials. These can be beloved dhut and turned into a m**f. The back of each one is a soft fleece material and I find children love the feel of it, but so do adults.
The ones for children with autism has been tested by a 5 year old boy with non-verbal complex autism, who normally destroys everything within hours. Everything has been double/triple sewn and glued and sofar he hasn’t managed to break it. He loves the squidgy, stretchy toys on there and he loves to put it on his arm, vectoring it shut.
I have also given one to the care home to test out and it has been received well.
If you are interested in purchasing one they are £25 for the dementia blanket (£5 goes to the care home) and £20 for each of the children’s ones. They can be for anyone who has special needs or who finds fidget items relaxing. I can use different materials depending on the children’s ones or adult and add things if needed. Each has a pocket that can be used to store other fidget toys or for sensory beads, which I also make. Please contact me or comment below if you are interested. Thank you
