When choosing a therapy tool, you can opt for weight or compression (pressure). Though these are not so different, our therapist team is often asked, "Should I purchase a weighted vest or a pressure vest for my child?" While it's largely a matter of personal preference, here are some insights to help you choose.

Benefits of Weight: What Is a Weighted Vest Used For?

Weighted blankets and weighted vests can help “wake up” the nervous system by providing resistance to the muscles and joints, a form of deep pressure input that offers calming, organizing sensory feedback. If you're wondering how weighted vests help kids with autism, it's because of this deep pressure that supports focus, reduces anxiety and improves body awareness. While often used by those with autism, weighted vests are also beneficial for people with ADHD, sensory processing disorder or anyone who may need help self-regulating. Some weighted tools come with adjustable weights to best suit individual needs.

Below are some of the main benefits of weighted vests.

Resistance

By offering resistance to the muscles, the joint receptors, known as Golgi tendon organs, are stimulated. In this way the joints and muscles provide a great wake up call to the brain when weight is applied.

Adjustable

Many of our weighted vests have removable weights, allowing kids to add or remove weight and thus customize the amount of sensory input they receive. This makes it perfect for varying needs and activities.

Double Agent

Since the weights can be removed from many vests, kids can have both a vest and usable hand weights for tossing, playing games and other activities.

Benefits of Pressure: What Is a Compression Vest Used For?

Pressure provides a different, yet similar, sensation to weight. However, it is more generalized and uniform to the whole nervous system. Sometimes pressure might be preferred over weight for the following reasons:

Natural Hug

Pressure can feel like a natural and much needed hug. Wearing compression shorts, shirts or vests can calm and neutralize an overstimulated sensory system. Since it surrounds the body, you can have an even amount of pressure all over.

Touch Receptors

Wearing a compression vest or using a pressure tool, such as a roller, can stimulate touch receptors, creating a calming sensation and raising endorphin levels for a general sense of euphoria. Some items, like a body sock or Sensory Sleeves, can provide pressure along the head, forearms or other body parts.

Constant Input

Many compression products provide a consistent source of gentle pressure throughout the day to help kids stay self-regulated.

Weighted Vest vs. Compression Vest

Weighted and compression vests both provide calming sensory input, but they work in slightly different ways. A weighted option uses added weights to offer deep pressure, while a compression style delivers consistent, snug input around the torso. Choosing between the two will depend on individual sensory needs. Some children respond better to the grounding sensation of weight, while others prefer the steady pressure of compression.

It is always possible to have the best of both worlds with The Original Weighted Compression Vest™. Kids can customize both the amount of weight in the inner pockets, as well as adjust how tightly or loosely they close the hook-and-loop closures to determine the amount of pressure.

Check out our entire sensory clothing collection for the best weighted and compression options.