Nervous moments: a weighted stuffed animal at the dentist or in hospital

A visit to the dentist, an injection or a day in hospital can be quite nerve-racking, for children and for many adults too. You are in an unfamiliar room, something is happening to your body and there is little you can hold on to. Something familiar to hold can then bring a lot of calm. A weighted stuffed animal is a lovely little helper for this, and the very first research on weighted stuffed animals even took place in the dentist's chair.

How can a weighted stuffed animal help at the dentist or in hospital?

At a tense moment, there is not much you can do yourself. You have to lie still, wait or let something happen. A weighted stuffed animal then gives you something to hold. The soft weight on your lap or in your arms feels solid and familiar. Many people find that reassuring, a bit like a hand holding yours.

For children, it is also nice to bring something from home. The stuffed animal was already there in the waiting room, it is there during the treatment and it is still there when it is all over. That gives them something to hold on to in surroundings that otherwise feel strange.

What did the research on weighted stuffed animals at the dentist show?

Research on weighted stuffed animals themselves is still in its early days. In 2025, researchers from an American dental school presented a poster about 77 children aged 4 to 14 who were having a filling or crown, with a local anaesthetic and laughing gas. Some of the children were given a weighted stuffed animal of about 2.3 kg on their lap; the others received usual care without a stuffed animal. According to the dentists treating them, the children with the stuffed animal cooperated better, and afterwards the children themselves said they had been less anxious.

That is a hopeful start. It is, however, a short poster, and there is not yet a full article that has been reviewed by other researchers. The dentists could see who had a stuffed animal, and there was no group with an unweighted stuffed animal. So simply having a stuffed animal, the distraction or the comfort may also have played a part.

More research has been done with weighted blankets. A research group led by Chen saw a lower heart rate and more signs of relaxation with a weighted blanket during dental treatments, including the removal of wisdom teeth. In 42 children aged 6 to 14 with a mild intellectual disability, the heart rate with a homemade weighted blanket was on average 4 beats per minute lower, and the anxiety score slightly lower. In hospital, a weighted blanket turned out to be practical and safe for 85 children aged 3 to 10 in the recovery room. Adults having chemotherapy felt less anxious with a weighted blanket. These are small studies with small differences, and the blankets were bigger and often heavier than a stuffed animal. You can read a broader overview in Do weighted stuffed animals really help?

How do you arrange it with the dentist or hospital?

Ask beforehand whether the stuffed animal can come along, for example when you make the appointment or during the preparations at the hospital. Healthcare staff are often happy to cooperate if something helps a patient. Briefly explain why: ‘My daughter likes having something heavy on her lap; it helps her feel calm.’

Also discuss where the stuffed animal will go. On the lap or in the arms, it is usually not in the way. At the dentist, the mouth must be easy to reach. For an injection, hold the stuffed animal with the arm that is not getting the needle. For an operation or another examination there are sometimes separate rules; ask what is possible there.

How do you use the stuffed animal in the waiting room, for an injection or during an examination?

A few practical ideas:

• Practise at home. Act out the visit at home first, with the stuffed animal on your child's lap. Then your child already knows a little of what to expect.
• In the waiting room. Waiting can be the most nerve-racking part. Let your child hold the stuffed animal on their lap and talk calmly about something else.
• During the treatment. Keep the stuffed animal on the lap or in the arms. Let your child decide whether to hold it.
• For an injection. Let the stuffed animal rest in the free arm or on the lap. Breathing out slowly together can help too.
• Afterwards. A stuffed animal can also bring comfort if it was hard, or be something familiar to wake up to.

With children: stay with them and supervise, and take the stuffed animal away as soon as your child falls asleep in hospital. If you notice that the weight actually makes your child restless, put it away. You can read more about anxiety in children and adults in Can a weighted stuffed animal help with anxiety and panic? General tips for children, such as the right age and weight, are in A weighted stuffed animal for your child.

What should you keep in mind about hygiene?

In a healthcare setting, hygiene is important. Bring a clean stuffed animal and wash or clean it afterwards according to the care label, especially after a hospital stay. Do not put it anywhere it can get dirty, such as the waiting room floor. A stuffed animal with a removable cover is practical here, because it is easier to wash. Read more in Washing a weighted stuffed animal.

If it is a shared stuffed animal belonging to a practice or ward, that practice or ward will have its own rules about cleaning. Healthcare professionals can find more in Weighted stuffed animals in care and occupational therapy.

Who is it less suitable for?

A weighted stuffed animal is not meant for children under 3. Also ask for advice first if there are breathing, heart or circulation problems, sleep apnoea, epilepsy, low muscle strength or fragile skin. In hospital, the doctor or nurse treating you can help with this. You can find more uses for weighted stuffed animals under benefits and uses.