LOS ANGELES (PRWEB)
April 01, 2021

April 2 is Autism Awareness Day and part of a month long effort to draw attention to the fact that autism is the fastest growing developmental disorder in the United States. 1 in 54 children are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, totaling over 5 million young people and adults.

As weighted blankets continue to thrive in the mainstream marketplace, The Magic Weighted Blanket http://www.magicweightedblanket.com is going back to its roots to honor and celebrate the autistic community, from which the company first found its calling. According to Keith Zivalich, the inventor of the weighted blanket, and owner of the Magic Weighted Blanket, “Before weighted blankets caught on with the mass market, our weighted blankets were almost exclusively bringing deep pressure calming and comfort to children and adults with autism.”

“Before anyone had heard of a weighted blanket, we showed our ‘heavy blanket’ to potential customers at swap meets,” Keith remembers. “People were dumbfounded, not quite sure what to make of such a thing. Their expectation was that a blanket should be light and fluffy. It wasn’t until a friend of ours, who is a special needs teacher, took our ‘heavy blanket’ for her autistic students to try, that we found our niche. Not surprisingly, that niche has expanded into a world-wide phenomenon.”

Weighted blankets have become a global sensation in the autistic community for their ability to provide deep pressure stimulation. This causes the body to release naturally calming hormones, like dopamine and serotonin, the feel-good neurotransmitters of the brain. These hormones help with impulse control, attention, memory, social behavior, and sleep.

Mr. Zivalich invented the weighted blanket in 1997 after his daughter placed a Beanie Baby on his shoulder. “The weight of the stuffed toy felt like it was hugging my shoulder. The next thing I thought was, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if an entire blanket was filled with these beads. It would be the blanket that hugs you back.’ It was an idea I was instantly convinced would be a hit.” 24 years later, his invention http://www.magicweightedblanket.com is helping hundreds of thousands of people, both in the autistic community and general population, who need a little calm and comfort in an increasingly stressful world.

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