Junior Protac Ball Blanket™
Calm

9-year old boy with ADHD

A sense-stimulating aid: Protac SenSit^® ball chair. 

Observed effect: It is evident that all forms of contact, communication and calmness in the body improve during and after the boy sits in the chair. He goes for the chair spontaneously and often tries to play possum so that he can stay in the chair for longer. He is clearly calmer, happier and easier to work with when he is sitting in the chair. He often says, with a twinkle in his eye: "...One day I'm going to steal the chair and take it home...and you won't know it".

8-year old boy with ADHD 

He has a hard time settling down when it is time for bed. His parents sit with him for three hours before he falls asleep, but then he often wakes up throughout the night. 

 A sense-stimulating aid: Protac Ball Blanket™

Observed effect:  He tries to sleep with the blanket, and after 10 minutes, he calms down and falls asleep. Now he sleeps all through the night and is rested when he wakes up in the morning.

10-year old girl with ADHD. 

She has problems with sensory integration, especially with her sense of touch. She is also physically restless. The girl suffers from tactile defensiveness and wearing clothes makes her feel uncomfortable. She dislikes close physical contact with other people and does not sleep well at night. 

A sense-stimulating aid: Protac Ball Blanket™

Observed effect: The girl crawls under the blanket herself when she feels the need. She tries to sleep with it at night and now she sleeps peacefully. She feels more energetic the next day. Her tactile defensiveness has also decreased, so that she can now wear long-sleeved blouses without feeling discomfort. 

Boy with ADHD

 A sense-stimulating aid: Protac Ball Blanket™

Observed effect: "We've now had the ball blanket on loan for 14 days—and what days they were. The blanket had hardly made it through the door before he climbed onto it, cosied up and got relaxed. He has ADHD and has gotten so calm and relaxed from using the blanket. He falls asleep easily at night, while before it would have taken two to three hours—he is well-rested in the morning and we can all see a difference. It's like I have a whole new life now too! As parents, we've finally found time for ourselves and one another in the evening—it really is a happy ending"!  

6-year old girl diagnosed with ADHD and Tourette syndrome.
She has just started on medication. 

A sense-stimulating aid: Protac Ball Blanket™ , 7 kg with 50 mm plastic balls 

Observed effect: When we were given the diagnosis at the hospital, we'd already been having serious problems with falling asleep and staying asleep. She has always had very poor sleep at night, and it would take her a very long time to fall asleep. It was getting worse and worse. Some nights, she would be up for several hours, which of course meant that she would be very tired during the day. After starting her on the medication it got worse because one of the side effects of the medication is dyssomnia.
When we were discharged from the hospital, we were lent a ball blanket to take home with us. It has completely changed our everyday life. She fell asleep within 15 minutes and all through the night. It was heaven for us to have a refreshed and well-rested daughter everyday. We talked to the municipality and we were given a ball blanket. We were promised that it would be sent to us, but we were later rejected when she wasn't fully diagnosed, and again when she had to start on her medication. She has now been on medication for a five-week trial period, and until now we still have not been considered for a ball blanket. It's absolutely crazy. We're of course really upset about this, as our daily lives with the ball blanket were completely different both at home and in school.  

12-year old girl, adopted at age 4.

She has settled in quickly, did not take long to learn to speak Danish and does well in school. Her family says that she does well, but it does not take much for her to "snap". When there was a death in the family, her reaction was very bad and out of proportion. The girl has never cared for physical contact, which is why it was very difficult to comfort her. 

A sense-stimulating aid: Protac Ball Blanket™

Observed effect: The girl got to try out the Protac Ball Blanket^® for a period and and was tucked in with it every night. For some time, she was not all that interested in it, and it was returned. The family got a blanket themselves later on because whenever "something happened" that triggered feelings of insecurity with family/at school or in similar situations, the girl would ask for the blanket.

10-year old adopted boy

Victim of serious child neglect in his first four years of life. He has specific learning disabilities. The boy has physical unrest and has major difficulties processing senses. His adoptive parents say  that they have a hard time getting him to fall asleep at night, that he has very restless sleep and that he often wakes up and gets out of bed in the middle of the night. 

A sense-stimulating aid: Protac Ball Blanket™

Observed effect:  After three days of acclimatisation, the boy started sleeping all through the night. After another 14 days, it became much easier for him to fall asleep.

11-year old boy with autism.

He had a hard time settling down at night and often sleeps poorly at night too. He would wander around, ask for water, want the blanket shaken out—anything but sleep.  

A sense-stimulating aid: Protac Ball Blanket™

Observed effect: In just two days he started getting calmer. Now he falls asleep in less than 10 minutes after laying down in bed. This has also meant that he has more energy during the day.

Boy with autism.

A sense-stimulating aid: Protac Ball Blanket™

Observed effect: He lays under the ball blanket for 20 minutes each day  after coming home from school. The blanket provides him with relaxation and a sense of security, and it helps him to organise his sensory impressions. After that, he can play games on the computer, for example.
 

SClass for autistic children.

A sense-stimulating aid: Protac Ball Blanket™

Observed effect: The Protac Ball Blanket™ is used when reading a story to them. The children sit under the ball blanket, they settle down and get focused. During breaks, the ball blanket is used to play with, walk or climb on, roll over or hide under. 

Spasticity, 13-years old

From a mother: My daughter is 13 and a half years old and suffers from spasticity, and has always woken up several times in the evening and at night because she has spasms and needs to be turned over. When I picked up the ball blanket, I thought at first that I would never be able to lay it on top of my fragile little daughter. But...… it turned out to be lovely and great and relaxing and just so much more. She uses the ball blanket when sitting and relaxing in her bean bag—in fact, often her, her younger sister and I all sit under the blanket together and relax.

At first, I would take the blanket from her when she woke up around midnight, but afterwards, she slept with it for most of the night and sometimes all night long. I'm seeing for the first time since I've had her that she sleeps from the time she lays down in bed until around midnight or 1:30 a.m. There are some exceptions, of course, such as when she is sick or something else happens, but twice in the last week she has slept all through the night. It was strange for the alarm clock to go off and her not be awake at all. Fantastic—there's only one reason for this, and it's the ball blanket"!

Delayed injury after car accident.
A young man gets brain damage following a car accident. He is restless and has a very poor feel for his body and its use. The ball blanket helps him calm down and get sleep so that he can focus his energy toward concentrating on his rehabilitation.

Brain haemorrhage - hemiplegia
An elderly man has hemiplegia and is very restless as a result of a brain haemorrhage. He uses the blanket to calm down and feel the limits of the body.

Brain injury
Martin is 12 years old and has a brain injury. He is in care, was born prematurely and has suffered several brain haemorrhages on his first day. Martin is also a grossly neglected, emotionally abused child. This means that Martin grows very rigid if someone hugs him and pulls away from any physical contact, among other things. Complains that it hurts to be touched, e.g. if someone puts their hand on his shoulder.
Martin sees an occupational therapist where he learns recognise his own body and what it can and cannot do. After being advised by our occupational therapist to get a ball blanket, we've now got one as a trial.
Before getting the blanket, Martin had a very hard time sleeping and settling down at nighttime. He called for us all the time, saying he was thirsty, he needed to go to the bathroom, he felt hot, he felt cold—there was always something that wasn't right.
After getting the blanket, Martin falls asleep in two or three minutes after saying "goodnight", and he has even been lucky enough to fall asleep sitting in front of the TV while watching cartoons. This would have been unthinkable before we had the blanket. Martin has really profited from getting this blanket, and we hope that we can receive it through a grant. Martin is very happy with the blanket and thinks that it is wonderful. He doesn't kick the blanket off anymore either. He's gotten calmer. We are very happy to have the blanket and Martin loves it. It's still too soon to say whether it is going to change his sense of touch.
- Martin's mother

A brain-injured woman uses the ball blanket to alleviate her involuntary movements. The blanket helps her feel the limits of her body and feel calm all throughout. It makes her feel calm so that she can sleep. Before she had the ball blanket, she would only sleep for one hour at a time.
- Therapist

Involuntary movement

Traumatic injury
A young man with a traumatic brain injury is very restless, yells, has anxiety and is aggressive. After a week of acclimatisation, he started going for the ball blanket himself and pulling it on top of himself when he laid in bed.

Users with neurological problems in general
The ball blanket is used on children and adults with spasticity, patients suffering from the effects of brain trauma or apoplexy. Many people with congenital or acquired brain damage have been able to change their perception of their own bodies, spatial and directional disorientation or sensory disturbances. This change in body awareness can create uneasiness and feelings of insecurity. The ball blanket can help users to better "notice" themselves. It promotes calmness, creates a sense of security and gives the user a feel for the physical limits of the body.

The ball blanket is currently used for treatment in the acute phase of conditions in many neurological and medical unites, as well as at treatment and aftercare centres for children and adults with spasticity, trauma patients and those afflicted with apoplexy. There have been positive experiences with using the ball blankets on patients who used to be calmed with large amounts of medication. The blanket calms them without the side effects. The ball blanket is also used on patients with multiple sclerosis and Huntington's disease, for example.

Case: 13-year old girl with spasticity. She wakes up several times in the evening and at night because she has spasms and needs to be turned over. 

A sense-stimulating aid: Protac Ball Blanket™

Observed effect: "I thought at first that I would never be able to lay it on top of my fragile little daughter. But...… it turned out to be lovely and great and relaxing and just so much more. My daughter uses the Protac Ball Blanket™ when sitting and relaxing in her bean bag—in fact, often her, her younger sister and I all sit under the blanket together and relax. At first, I would take the blanket from her when she woke up around midnight, but afterwards, she slept with it for most of the night and sometimes all night long. I'm seeing for the first time since I've had her that she sleeps from the time she lays down in bed until around midnight or 1:30 a.m. There are some exceptions, of course, such as when she is sick or something else happens, but twice in the last week she has slept all through the night. It was strange for the alarm clock to go off and her not be awake at all. Fantastic—there's only one reason for this, and it's the Protac Ball Blanket™!

Case: Martin, 12 years old with brain damage. He is in care. Martin was born prematurely and has suffered several brain haemorrhages on his first day. Martin is also a grossly neglected, emotionally abused child. This means that Martin pulls away from any physical contact. Complains that it hurts to be touched, e.g. if someone puts their hand on his shoulder. Martin has a very hard time sleeping and settling down at night. 

A sense-stimulating aid: Protac Ball Blanket™

Observed effect: "After getting the blanket, Martin falls asleep  in two or three minutes after saying 'goodnight'. He has even been lucky enough to fall asleep in front of the TV      while watching cartoons. This would have been unthinkable before. Martin is very happy with the blanket and thinks that it is wonderful. He doesn't kick the blanket off anymore. He's gotten calmer. We are very happy to have the blanket and Martin loves it".

7-month old boy

He has been restless since birth. After being admitted to the hospital, it was concluded that the boy has colic. His parents try to rock him in a cradle, to wrap him in swaddling clothes, to sit and hold him in their arms and to bounce on a gym ball. They give him bottles covered with a clothes nappy to shield him from the sensory impression. When the boy sleeps, his parents use a stuffed animal that produces white noise to keep him from being woken up by other noises in the house. Chiropractors, ring slings and breast milk substitutes have little effect. At an age of 4-5 months, it subsides, and the boy starts taking afternoon naps in his pram.  A middle ear infection takes the family back to square one and they spend around three hours every night again trying to soothe him and get him to sleep.

A sense-stimulating aid:  Protac Ball Blanket™

Observed effect: "We've had the blanket for a week now and I no longer have to bounce on that silly bouncing ball to get him to sleep. He gets his pyjamas on, has a bottle and all the other normal things when getting tucked in for bed. Then we lay him in bed while he's still awake and put the ball blanket on him, he turns on his side and falls right to sleep on his own!
There is no doubt about it,  the Protac Ball Blanket™ and of course the sleep too—has made him much more calm. He takes regular morning naps with it and sleeps in the afternoon in his pram for normally two or three hours. Now he can even sit and cuddle with us and he's even fallen asleep with me once. Before he always needed to be moving. He has slept a few times from 8:00 p.m. until 2:00 a.m., had a bottle and slept some more. We're mostly just up twice at night and he normally just goes right back to sleep. The Protac Ball Blanket™ has truly benefited our little boy and we don't doubt that it will continue to be praised".  

6-year old deaf-blind boy.

He has a hard time relaxing when he goes to bed at night. His body is perpetually bombarded with sensory impressions that are difficult to control. 

A sense-stimulating aid: Protac Ball Blanket™

Observed effect: He tries to sleep with the ball blanket. It is wrapped snugly around his body and has a very soothing effect on him. He still wakes up occasionally, but the ball blanket causes him to fall asleep again and sleep for the rest of the night so that he is well-rested the next day.

Lukas. A boy born with immunodeficiency.

He was gravely ill when he was only three weeks old. Since then he has battled severe infections and has had his eyes and ears operated on as a result of his immunodeficiency.
Because of the numerous infections and many days being sick, he has a hard time staying calm—not just being active during the day, but also when sleeping during the day and at night.
He cannot entertain himself on play rugs and in playpens, but has an unusually strong need to be at his mother's side. He is extremely dependent on having a sense of security and cannot sleep alone at night. He sleeps for one to two hours at a time at night; just one hour in total during the day. His lack of sleep is evidenced in his lack of energy and little desire to play and join in with toy, on the play rug etc.

A sense-stimulating aid: Protac Ball Blanket™

Observed effect: "The first night he slept with the blanket, we saw a MAJOR difference. He suddenly slept from 8:00 in the evening until 4:00 in the morning, just took a dummy and then slept again until 6:30 a.m. I was shocked and couldn't believe it. He started sleeping during the day for two hours in the morning and again for an hour and a half in the afternoon. And his sleep cycle continued this way. Buying this blanket was the BEST thing that's happened to me, aside from my husband and two children.  Lukas is now clear of his immunodeficiency and many doctors say that the Protac Ball Blanket^® has done the job to get him back on track. 

Spasticity, 13 years old
From a mother: My daughter is 13 and a half years old and suffers from spasticity, and has always woken up several times in the evening and at night because she has spasms and needs to be turned over. When I picked up the ball blanket, I thought at first that I would never be able to lay it on top of my fragile little daughter. But...… it turned out to be lovely and great and relaxing and just so much more. She uses the ball blanket when sitting and relaxing in her bean bag—in fact, often her, her younger sister and I all sit under the blanket together and relax.
At first, I would take the blanket from her when she woke up around midnight, but afterwards, she slept with it for most of the night and sometimes all night long. I'm seeing for the first time since I've had her that she sleeps from the time she lays down in bed until around midnight or 1:30 a.m. There are some exceptions, of course, such as when she is sick or something else happens, but twice in the last week she has slept all through the night. It was strange for the alarm clock to go off and her not be awake at all. Fantastic—there's only one reason for this, and it's the ball blanket"!

Delayed injury after car accident.
A young man gets brain damage following a car accident. He is restless and has a very poor feel for his body and its use. The ball blanket helps him calm down and get sleep so that he can focus his energy toward concentrating on his rehabilitation.
Brain haemorrhage - hemiplegia
An elderly man has hemiplegia and is very restless as a result of a brain haemorrhage. He uses the blanket to calm down and feel the limits of the body.

Brain injury
Martin is 12 years old and has a brain injury. He is in care, was born prematurely and has suffered several brain haemorrhages on his first day. Martin is also a grossly neglected, emotionally abused child. This means that Martin grows very rigid if someone hugs him and pulls away from any physical contact, among other things. Complains that it hurts to be touched, e.g. if someone puts their hand on his shoulder.
Martin sees an occupational therapist where he learns recognise his own body and what it can and cannot do. After being advised by our occupational therapist to get a ball blanket, we've now got one as a trial.

Before getting the blanket, Martin had a very hard time sleeping and settling down at night time. He called for us all the time, saying he was thirsty, he needed to go to the bathroom, he felt hot, he felt cold—there was always something that wasn't right.
After getting the blanket, Martin falls asleep in two or three minutes after saying "goodnight", and he has even been lucky enough to fall asleep sitting in front of the TV while watching cartoons. This would have been unthinkable before we had the blanket. Martin has really profited from getting this blanket, and we hope that we can receive it through a grant. Martin is very happy with the blanket and thinks that it is wonderful. He doesn't kick the blanket off anymore either. He's gotten calmer. We are very happy to have the blanket and Martin loves it. It's still too soon to say whether it is going to change his sense of touch.
- Martin's mother.

8-year old boy with ADHD problems.

He has a hard time settling down when it is time for bed. His parents sit with him for three hours before he falls asleep, but then he often wakes up throughout the night.

A sense-stimulating aid: Protac Ball Blanket^®.
Observed effect: The boy tries to sleep with a ball blanket, and after 10 minutes, he calms down and falls asleep. Now he sleeps all through the night and is rested when he wakes up in the morning.

10-year old girl with sensory integration problems.

 
She is particularly affected by the sense of touch and is very physically restless. The girl suffered from tactile defensiveness and wearing clothes made her feel uncomfortable. She disliked close physical contact with other people and did not sleep well at night.

A sense-stimulating aid: Protac Ball Blanket™
Observed effect: The girl got a ball blanket and crawls under it herself when she feels the need. She tries to sleep with it at night. Now she sleeps more peacefully and also feels more energetic the next day. Her tactile defensiveness has also decreased, so that she can now wear long-sleeved blouses without feeling discomfort.

12-year old Thomas. Suffers from poor sleep, trouble falling asleep and bed-wetting.

Too little sleep and poor quality sleep, problems bed-wetting and long, exhausting night-time rituals. These are some of the problems that Thomas and his family used to have to contend with. One Protac Ball Blanket™ has solved their problems and made a major difference in Thomas's everyday life—and his family's too.

Twins Mikkel and Emil, born prematurely with frantic movement patterns and sleeping problems

A sense-stimulating aid: Protac Ball Blanket^®

Observed effect: "We got to try the blanket for 14 days. The first time Mikkel had it on, he screamed, so it took some getting used to and patience. But in two days he was ok with it, and I got my first full night of sleep in nearly a year—incredible! When we got the blanket, Mikkel couldn't concentrate, his movement patterns were very frantic, and he had only managed to lay on the floor and roll around so far. In the first week with the blanket, he became calm, learned to sit up and was less demanding at night-time.

At 15 months old, his development is nearly age appropriate. He loves going around hugging people and seeks out physical contact on his own. He is a happy, mellow little guy with lots of zest for life. Finally, he's gotten a normal sleeping pattern.

As the mother of a set of premature twin boys, I'd like to talk about our "rescue".
On 5 Marc 1997 when we had Emil and Mikkel who weighed 2020 grams and 1300 grams, it was seven weeks before my due date. We'd had Nikolaj who is 4 and a half years old and Katrine who is two and half before. With a family this size, it says itself that daily life demand a good bit of energy and planning.
After some initial difficulties, we got to take the boys home. Mikkel had an inguinal hernia which needed to be operated on, but we also thought that we'd made it through.
Emil developed well, but Mikkel always walked with a limp behind. I took a leave of absence under Section 48 to help calm their development.

Mikkel did not much care for physical contact; he was very physically restless, had frantic movement patterns and slept very little (waking up 10-15 times each night).
In January 1998, the health visitor arranged for us to meet with the municipality's occupational therapist. She starts with some exercises to stimulate Mikkel's senses. She puts particular emphasis on his sense of touch, trying infant massage, among other things. It helps a bit but he is still frantic, restless and does not want any direct physical contact.
In late February we heard about the ball blanket from the occupational therapist. I'm a nurse and somewhat conservative when it comes to treatment methods, but at the time I was ready for anything—luckily.

We got to try the blanket for 14 days. The first time Mikkel had it on, he screamed, so it took some getting used to and patience. But in two days he was ok with it, and I got my first full night of sleep in nearly a year—incredible.
When we got the blanket, Mikkel couldn't concentrate, his movement patterns were very frantic and he had only managed to lay on the floor and roll around so far.
In the first week with the blanket, he became calm, learned to sit up and was less demanding at night time.

At 15 months old, his development is nearly age appropriate. He loves going around hugging people and seeks out physical contact on his own. He is a happy, mellow little guy with lots of zest for life. Last but not least, he's gotten a normal sleeping pattern.

10-month old baby girl, born four weeks prematurely

A sense-stimulating aid: Protac Ball Blanket™

Observed effect: " Our daughter is 10 months old and was born four weeks prematurely. Her sleep at night is marked by awakenings where she cries and needs help getting back to sleep. At its worst, this happens several times in one hour. We often have to pick her up and walk around with her, and sometimes it's very difficult to get her to fall asleep again. At times she has also slept in our bed for some of the night because of this.

There could be many reasons why she wakes up at night, and she can't of course tell us what is wrong, but we get the impression that it often has something to do with her feeling insecure and needing to be close to someone and having a sense of security in order to sleep. The health visitor recommended we try letting her sleep with a ball blanket. We've tried it for 14 days and it has truly helped her. On a good night, she'll wake up just once, and in the 14 days we've used the blanket, she's woken up no more than three times in a night. Truly great progress!!!
We therefore believe that the ball blanket has helped her feel secure and "embraced", much like if she were to lay in our arms or close to us while sleeping. Other parents of premature babies have had positive experiences with the ball blanket, and now we're officially in the fan club too". Sincerely, a mother and father

Special needs class with four autistic children.

A sense-stimulating aid: Protac Ball Blanket™

Observed effect: The children use the ball blanket when someone reads a story to them. When they sit under the ball blanket, they settle down and get focused. During breaks, the ball blanket is used to play with, walk on, climb on, roll over and hide under.

6-year old, deaf-blind boy.

He has a hard time relaxing when he goes to bed at night. His body is perpetually bombarded with sensory impressions that are difficult to control.

A sense-stimulating aid: Protac Ball Blanket™

Observed effect: The boy tries sleeping with the blanket. It is wrapped snugly around his body and has a very soothing effect on him. He still wakes up occasionally at night, but the ball blanket causes him to fall asleep again and sleep for the rest of the night so that he is well-rested the next day.

9-month old baby boy.

He has always been very unhappy, physically restless and angry. He is only interested in toys for a short time and needs a great deal of support. He is unable to sit and calm down in his parents arms. He panics when he has to take a bath, for example. It takes a long time to get him to calm down in the evening, he is a very light sleeper and is disturbed by even faint sounds. The boy lays there restlessly, pounding his legs against the bed and beating his arms about.

A sense-stimulating aid: Protac Ball Blanket™

Observed effect: After just a few nights, it is easier for him to fall asleep in the evening. Some nights he sleeps without waking up, and night when he does wake up, we can quickly get him back to sleep again. He's gotten happier and less frustrated during the day and he started wanting to sit and cuddle with his parents briefly. He is starting to like getting into the bathtub and experimenting with toys for longer periods at a time.

Case: 9-year old boy with trouble falling asleep and poor-quality sleep. He tosses around in his bed and takes a very long time to fall asleep.  He cannot relax or calm down. He sleeps very restlessly and throws the blanket off several times throughout the night. 

A sense-stimulating aid. Protac Ball Blanket™

Observed effect: "He says himself that the blanket is very good: It helps me so I can lay still and not have ants in my pants. With the Protac Ball Blanket™ however, he lays flat and talks for five minutes, then he relaxes and settles down He falls asleep within 15 minutes. He sleeps peacefully, without the cover falling off. He uses the blanket all night long. It's really wonderful for him and for us too". 

Brain injury
Martin is 12 years old and has a brain injury. He is in care, was born prematurely and has suffered several brain haemorrhages on his first day. Martin is also a grossly neglected, emotionally abused child. This means that Martin grows very rigid if someone hugs him and pulls away from any physical contact, among other things. Complains that it hurts to be touched, e.g. if someone puts their hand on his shoulder.
Martin sees an occupational therapist where he learns recognise his own body and what it can and cannot do. After being advised by our occupational therapist to get a ball blanket, we've now got one as a trial.

Before getting the blanket, Martin had a very hard time sleeping and settling down at nighttime. He called for us all the time, saying he was thirsty, he needed to go to the bathroom, he felt hot, he felt cold—there was always something that wasn't right.
After getting the blanket, Martin falls asleep in two or three minutes after saying "goodnight", and he has even been lucky enough to fall asleep sitting in front of the TV while watching cartoons. This would have been unthinkable before we had the blanket. Martin has really profited from getting this blanket, and we hope that we can receive it through a grant. Martin is very happy with the blanket and thinks that it is wonderful. He doesn't kick the blanket off anymore either. He's gotten calmer. We are very happy to have the blanket and Martin loves it. It's still too soon to say whether it is going to change his sense of touch.

Sleep
After trying the blanket. A 9-year old boy said himself that it was very good. "It helps me so I can lay still and not have ants in my pants".
That's right. Normally he tosses around all over his bed and takes a very long time to fall asleep. He simply cannot relax or calm down. He used to sleep very restlessly and throw the blanket off several times throughout the night. The blanket cover used to fall off or he would get inside it. With the ball blanket, however, he lays flat and talks for five minutes, then he relaxes and settles down He falls asleep in less than 15 minutes. He sleeps peacefully, without the cover falling off and he covers up with the blanket all night. It's really wonderful for him and for us too.
Parents of a 9-year old boy

Brain injury
Martin is 12 years old and has a brain injury. He is in care, was born prematurely and has suffered several brain haemorrhages on his first day. Martin is also a grossly neglected, emotionally abused child. This means that Martin grows very rigid if someone hugs him and pulls away from any physical contact, among other things. Complains that it hurts to be touched, e.g. if someone puts their hand on his shoulder.
Martin sees an occupational therapists where he learns recognise his own body and what it can and cannot do. After being advised by our occupational therapist to get a ball blanket, we've now got one as a trial.
Before getting the blanket, Martin had a very hard time sleeping and settling down at night time. He called for us all the time, saying he was thirsty, he needed to go to the bathroom, he felt hot, he felt cold—there was always something that wasn't right.
After getting the blanket, Martin falls asleep in two or three minutes after saying "goodnight", and he has even been lucky enough to fall asleep sitting in front of the TV while watching cartoons. This would have been unthinkable before we had the blanket. Martin has really profited from getting this blanket, and we hope that we can receive it through a grant. Martin is very happy with the blanket and thinks that it is wonderful. He doesn't kick the blanket off anymore either. He's gotten calmer. We are very happy to have the blanket and Martin loves it. It's still too soon to say whether it is going to change his sense of touch.

Special needs class with four autistic children.

A sense-stimulating aid: Protac Ball Blanket™

Observed effect: The children use the ball blanket when someone reads a story to them. When they sit under the ball blanket, they settle down and get focused. During breaks, the ball blanket is used to play with, walk on, climb on, roll over and hide under.

6-year old deaf-blind boy.

He has a hard time relaxing when he goes to bed at night. His body is perpetually bombarded with sensory impressions that are difficult to control.

A sense-stimulating aid: Protac Ball Blanket™

Observed effect: The boy tries sleeping with the blanket. It is wrapped snugly around his body and has a very soothing effect on him. He still wakes up occasionally at night, but the ball blanket causes him to fall asleep again and sleep for the rest of the night so that he is well-rested the next day.

9-month old boy.

He has always been very unhappy, physically restless and angry. He is only interested in toys for a short time and needs a great deal of support. He is unable to sit and calm down in his parents arms. He panics when he has to take a bath, for example.
It takes a long time to get him to calm down in the evening;  he is a very light sleeper and is disturbed by even faint sounds. The boy lays there restlessly, pounding his legs against the bed and beating his arms about.

A sense-stimulating aid: Protac Ball Blanket™

Observed effect: After just a few nights, it is easier for him to fall asleep in the evening. Some nights he sleeps without waking up, and night when he does wake up, we can quickly get him back to sleep again. He's gotten happier and less frustrated during the day and he started wanting to sit and cuddle with his parents briefly. He is starting to like getting into the bathtub and experimenting with toys for longer periods at a time.

Girl with Tourette's-like symptoms.

Her mother has Tourette syndrome, and over the past few years, the girl has gradually become more hyper. She loses her train of thought more easily and is having a harder time falling asleep. The time it takes her to fall asleep has gone from 30 minutes to around an hour and a half. She has started having different tics. She has recently had many "bad dreams" when sleeping. She has cried about having no control over her ability to sleep and has gone to the living room several times asking for help sleeping.

A sense-stimulating aid: Protac Ball Blanket™

Observed effect: "My daughter wasn't home the day the Protac Ball Blanket^® arrived, so I slept with it myself that night. I have Tourette syndrome and have always had a hard time falling asleep. I can remember thinking that I shouldn't think about how the blanket would make me fall asleep, because then I probably wouldn't be able to fall asleep. Instead I fell asleep in the most fantastic way possible. It felt as if I floated down and landed softly. The next morning I felt well-rested, which I'd rarely ever felt before.

My daughter was very excited to sleep with the blanket and spent some time cuddling with it in the afternoon. Once it was evening, she crawled right under it on her own.   

For the last 14 days, she's only been in the living room a few times. For the most part, she doesn't call for us before she falls asleep. Most nights, it takes no more than 15 minutes for her to fall asleep, but sometimes up to 30 minutes. But she is happy to go to bed knowing that the blanket will help her. Now she sleep all night and says  herself  that  'the new blanket says the bad dreams will go away and they do'. She is very happy to have the blanket".

 
6-year old with Tourette syndrome and ADHD.

She just started medication. She has serious problems with falling asleep and staying asleep. Since she was little, she has always had very poor sleep at night, and it would take her a very long time to fall asleep. Over the years, it has gotten worse. She wakes up for several hours and is very tired during the day After starting the medication it got worse because one of the side effects is dyssomnia. 

A sense-stimulating aid: Protac Ball Blanket™

Observed effect: "The Protac Ball Blanket™ has completely changed our everyday life. Our daughter fell asleep in less than 15 minutes and slept every night, all throughout the night. It was heaven for us, just having a refreshed and well-rested daughter everyday".