At a middle school in Förslöv, in Northern Skåne, weighted vests have been tested in order to contribute to better focus and concentration among the students. The test produced good results and it was decided to buy several vests for the school and work long-term with them as support in teaching.
A fiber-heavy vest is a cognitive aid for people with varying diagnoses, such as motor anxiety, autism and ADHD. Research shows that children who wear a weighted vest do better at school and help the user to concentrate more easily, feel calm during a lesson or be able to sit down for a whole meal.
The fiber weight vest is developed by the aid company Novista of Sweden. The vest has been developed to be discreet and look like a regular garment, and the vest filling is soft to be comfortable to wear.
“A teacher at the school told me that the vest became a natural part of the classroom. The students thought it looked good and many thought it felt good to wear,” says Karin Erlandsson, LEG. Occupational therapist at Novista of Sweden.
The vest is a cognitive aid that utilizes the body’s built-in functions.
“Our fiber weight vest is developed in consultation with psychiatrists and stress therapists and has a girdle with Velcro that is tightened around the waist. This relieves weight from the back and shoulders while giving an embracing feel, much like a hug. The embrace affects the body’s proprioceptive senses and the wearer experiences calmness and makes it easier to concentrate,” continues Karin Erlandsson.
The company Novista is actively working to lend vests to schools that are interested in testing how it works.
“We know that it is difficult to know how a fiber weight vest feels and works for a person without trying, therefore we offer businesses to test a pair of fiber-heavy vests a few weeks before any purchase. So that you know that it works,” concludes Karin Erlandsson.
