Misuse of Weighted Blanket Results in Death of 9 Year Old

It is with sadness and disgust that I share this story with readers. Let me preface this by saying that this did not occur in a local school. I understand however, that some local schools are still using this technique. For the Cherry Hill readers, to the best of my knowledge Cherry Hill is not using weighted blankets to calm our children!

On April 17th Gabriel Poirier, a nine year old boy with Autism, began to make disturbing noises while in his classroom. His teacher told him to stop, but as many of us know, simply telling a child with autism to stop or to calm down is not very effective. In fact telling a child with autism that is stimming or uttering noises to stop, usually results in more of the same behavior. It is always better to discover the reason the child is engaging in the behavior and address it proactively.

After telling the child two times to stop making the noises, the teacher decided to roll the boy in a weighted blanket. A similar technique that involves placing a weighted blanket over a child to provide sensory therapy is somewhat common, but is used for therapeutic reasons not discipline. In this case the child was rolled in the blanket, which was wrong! His arms were placed at his sides and he was rolled in the blanket, left lying on his stomach where he remained for 20 minutes. When the teacher went to check on Gabriel, he was listless and blue in the face. The teacher immediately called 9-1-1, but the child was already in a coma. He died the next morning in the hospital.


Weighted blankets are custom-made blankets filled with a specific material that gives the blanket added weight. They are considered an effective tool for helping calm down high-energy children, especially autistic children who respond well to sensory therapy. Although the use of a weighted blanket is sometimes effective when in the right hands, such as a trained Occupational Therapist, these weighted blankets are not to discipline children that are experiencing behavioral difficulties.

A coroner's report released today revealed suffocation as the probable cause of Gabriel Poirier's death. The coroner's report concluded, "the child's death was violent and could have been avoided." The boy's parents described these findings as "a shock" because they were told he had passed away "naturally and calmly." According to Gabriel's father, Gilles Poirier, "He was a very gentle boy. Sometimes he was loud, but he was never aggressive or violent." The parents' lawyer, Jean-Pierre Menard, said vulnerable children like Gabriel need better protection. "We're asking to implement a legal framework to regulate how these children are handled," Menard said.

I ran the use of weighted blankets past several parents. One parent was aware that a weighted lap pad had been ordered for use in a specific program. I also heard of weighted vests being used in an OT setting. Another parent, from a neighboring school district, mentioned that a weighted blanket had been used by an OT for her child but to her knowledge, never for discipline.

I am not saying that I am against the use of weighted vests, lap pads, and in some cases even a weighted blanket. In fact, when used therapeutically, weighted blankets can be an effective tool for children that respond well to sensory therapy. It is important to remember that occupational therapists have developed a set of rules and protocols that should be followed when using a weighted blanket and they should not be in the hands of untrained staff. Weighted blankets are not meant to roll children up in, but rather to place over them and should only be used with direct supervision. They are not to be used in a manner that would restrain a child or prevent them from getting out from under the blanket.

Please ask your school district if they use a weighted blanket and ask for the specific reasons they would use it. Also ask about the training and credentials of the person(s) permitted to initiate it's use. Make sure that is not used as a disciplinary measure, but only in an OT setting for therapeutic use. If you are uncomfortable with the use of a weighted blanket, make sure it is clearly stated in your child's IEP.