TESTIMONIALS for the OTvest Deep Pressure Weighted Vest
I am an OTR in Buffalo, NY who tried your OTvest on during the OT Mental Health conference in Indianapolis last year. One of my college’s purchased a few OTvests to use with her patients and allowed me to borrow one for a patient of mine (an adult with severe anxiety). My patient tried it for about 2 weeks and ended up ordering one for herself.
I am now purchasing a few to have on hand to try with some of my other clients.
Jennifer Molea, MS, OTR/L, Community Reintegration Team Occupational Therapist, Buffalo, New York, for Patient with Severe Anxiety
August 22, 2018
My son has Autism and started using the OTvest in JK (pre-kindergarten). We first purchased the OTvest on a recommendation through the occupational therapist that he was working with at the time. We purchased the OTvest for him and noticed a difference in his behaviour when he wore it. His teacher said that it really helped him settle and get back to doing his work especially after lunch and recess. He is in grade 4 now and we just purchased our second OTvest. We even take it with us to appointments where I know he will have a difficult time sitting still. We love it. Thank you OTvest for helping make our day better!
Manuela Ehlert, Ontario, Canada, Autism
July 23, 2018
"My son started second grade crying everyday. He had seen a Pediatrician, a Medical Social Worker, a Psychologist and the school counselor. He was also seeing a therapist every other week. No one could help him. No one could tell me what was wrong and how to make the school day easier for my son. Then, on my own, I decided to meet with the most amazing Occupational Therapist. After four and a half months of my son crying everyday and getting phone calls from his teacher telling me she just doesn't know what to do for him but that he can't come to school crying everyday, we received an OT Vest. The change we have seen in the few short weeks we have had the OT Vest is just astounding. He no longer cries in school. Bedtime is awesome now. I am thankful to have such an amazing tool. I felt pressured by all the doctors to put my son on medication. I am happy to say he will not be put on medication as the OT Vest does the trick".
Kimberly Gorsline, sensory processing disorder
January 25, 2016
"It has been almost one month since my last post. Just wanted to update my son's progress. The changes I have seen in Josh since starting the use of the OTvest are astounding. When I drop him off at school now, instead of "I don't feel good", he says "love you, see ya later"!!! When I pick him up from school, instead of walking alone, he is smiling and talking to fellow classmates and walking in a group. I love the confidence the OTvest has given my son. We see improvements everyday. Thank you OTvest for changing our lives. Josh no longer sees a therapist [psychologist] as they felt like the OTvest was helping him in ways they could not".
Kimberly Gorsline, sensory processing disorder
February 23, 2016 at 11:32pm
It has been about a month (since I have been wearing the OTvest). I feel stronger when I ride my trike. I feel a slight improvement in my balance walking. I feel like it is helping my tremors. My neurologist thought it was a good idea to use the OTvest. I don't use the OTvest everyday, to give my body a rest and to see how strong I am. I do notice a positive difference.
Amy Cantrell, Texas, cerebellar ataxia, SCA1
The OTvest arrived just in time for my neurologist appointment so I showed it to her and gave her one of the brochures... I have been using it with my [occupational therapy] patient's as well….For me I find it easier to focus with the OTvest on as well. Actually, not having the vest attached makes it possible to wear it with my uniform as well. I wore it on Sunday to sing in the Choir and for the first time in more than a year was able to sing without vibrato!
Thanks again!
Mary DeRosia, New York, OTR/L occupational therapist with Parkinson’s disease
"Why I Love My OTvest":
Normally, I am a very private person but.. I wanted to share with you how the OTvest has affected my life. I have now reached the stage that I am unwilling to go out alone and find it challenging to walk more than a short distance. My OTvest has given me new self-confidence, my walking is so much better to the point that I held on to my husband's arm yesterday in the supermarket carpark and asked him to make me walk as quickly as possible. Yes, my sense of fun is back and I am doing more and more things independently….The OTvest is like a comfort blanket and every day, I am doing more independently. Yesterday, I crossed a quiet road alone and walked around a small shop…Physically, I am also noticing differences and I don't know if this is due to the weights, or the reduction in my stress levels, or both.
I seem to have improved manual dexterity. I had got to the stage where the zip on a particular coat had become quite difficult and now, for four consecutive days, I have been able to do the coat up without any help. I have also begun to find the buttons on the duvet cover easier.
My hips are beginning to move freely which is giving me a longer gait and rather than being restricted to shoes that I wear all the time, I am now alternating between three pair.
Finally, I have never slept so well in years and now occasionally sleep through the night, and I am sleeping much more deeply.
It takes a while for the vest to have an effect. The vests are so comfortable that it is easy to forget that you have got it on.
I have experienced such physical changes in the last two weeks that I can hardly believe it myself. My typing speed has at least trebled but I still lack stamina and so I can only type quickly for a short period of time. My son noticed how quickly I was typing and made a comment-- he couldn't believe it. The other problem that I have always had is putting a key in a lock and it has always been the cause of embarrassment. I have always looked like someone who was drunk but today I did it first time.
Finally, at the shops we generally use a card machine to pay for the groceries and I usually struggle to such an extent that I have to ask my husband to do it if he is there but for the last two/three weeks, I have done it, first time every time. You cannot imagine how wonderful such a tiny thing is.
I believe that within about two weeks most people will feel different. Everyday tasks will take less effort and before they know it, they will want to lead more active lives by choice, not necessity. Even my skeptical husband can no longer believe what he is seeing.
Stacey Goodeve, Great Britain, cerebellar ataxia
"I wanted to let you know that we have been purchasing vests thru your website for a few years now.. As school based occupational therapists working for the Orange County Department of Education, your vests have been a tremendous help! Thank you so much!"
Shelby, occupational therapist, Orange County Dept. of Education, CA 6/16
"It feels like heaven." "I feel like a new boy." comment to their teacher from a first and second grader after wearing the OTvest, one completing his work for the first time! quote from Jill Reid, Gilkey Elementary, Plainwell Community Schools, MI
"I have been so impressed with the results of the OTvest™. "John" is absolutely unable to sit still. He is in constant motion (rocking, tapping, lying on his desk or chair, ripping paper, eating crayons, making noises, etc.). When [he was fitted] for a vest, we used it for half-an-hour on, half-an-hour off. I was so amazed at the change in his behavior, I had to go get the principal so he could witness it for himself. "John" was engaged and on-task for 30 minutes. He even made the comment that "It makes me feel smarter." He could function more normally with the vest on and would even ask me if he could put it back on. Your years of expertise have helped you design a real useful tool that will benefit many future...children."
Margaret Gordon, 1st grade teacher, Cooper Elementary, Plainwell, MI
"I ordered two OTvests, one for home, one for school. I was told he was doing well (with the OTvest)...as he was having less tics..and no meltdowns after a fire alarm--and he was able to return to the test! At home, we use it for homework, church, or any high stress situation."
Julie Smith, son with autism/Aspergers, Cincinnati, OH
"I carried the OTvest™ around today and showed our Administrators. They just loved it. It is so well made and it isn't goofy looking like the ones we used for years. It is actually quite handsome. I anticipate that once some of the teachers see them, they may ask...to order one for a specific student...We can recommend such a well-made product to them, and we will."
Karen Tremonti, COTA, Burger School, Garden City, MI
"Having seen many students with attention difficulties, initiating another strategy in meeting the needs of students is very important. Last year I observed the use of a weighted vest [OTvest™] with a student. He was more 'grounded', calm and focused. The availability of the vest to classroom teachers could be another step in limiting the use of medications to help students be better able to focus…"
Jackie VandeStreek, 3rd grade teacher, Starr Elem.., .Plainwell, MI
"The vests are a concrete alternative/addition to medication for ADHD kids. Outside of meds, there are no drastically successful methods to help [them]. The vests were a real hit in my room. Everyone wanted to try it on and those who wore it, said it made them feel calm...the vest is an inexpensive idea that has immediate results as opposed to costly teacher workshops that offer less effective ideas."
Lynea Hartig, 4th grade teacher, Starr Elementary, Plainwell, MI
"This is a miracle vest!...The vest looks very good. He is more focused on tasks, and does not try to wander around the room (he does have autism) during therapy sessions...this is a great invention you have designed….His teachers report that he really likes it, and wanted to know (on the 1st day) if he could take it home! A success story...So glad I knew about it to use at this time!" Bonnie Larson, occupational therapist, Anchor Bay School District, New Baltimore, MI
"Proven, exceptional results with students!" Tammy Gil, occupational therapist, Genesee ISD
"I got the OTvest (sic)…and I was able to sleep through the whole night. Usually I have to take medication but I haven’t had to touch it since I got the vest. The OTvest helps me to stabilize my trunk…with the vest, I am able to walk without swaying back and forth and having to hold on and grab things. It helps give me a feeling of security..it helps me get things done."
Robin Stevenson, Gainsville, Florida, cerebellar ataxia
"In physical therapy we have been working on stability and core control (with Robin). We have noticed a remarkable difference when walking with the OTvest and walking without it. When she first came to physical therapy, she wouldn’t walk in a crowd because she thought she would fall and now she is able to walk through the gym with other patients coming in when she wears the OTvest. She is far more stable and confident."
Eileen Branham, physical therapist, Gainsville, FL
"The OTvest makes my feet feel more like they are touching the ground. I feel grounded, more secure when walking."
Lili Kazepis, Brooklyn, New York, cerebellar ataxia
"The vest has been amazing. ..It has actually made my arms usable again...to play the keyboard. [I] learned that if I wear the vest, I have more use of my more affected left hand, and can isolate the keys better...The dystonic movements are almost gone with the [OTvest] on."
Jennifer Zubko, dystonic adult in Canada (ataxic)
"The vest seems to keep me straight not going to one side like I do. It makes me walk more straight without leaning towards one side. I am 50, had Ataxia SCA1 since 38, 130 pounds, wear 10 or 12. The vest has the 3 pounds... It works good with keeping me more balanced and grounded. My muscles are very weak and sore from the ataxia.I also can't button things. The snaps work great."
Cathy Letson, Sca 1 ataxia, Claxton, GA 6/16