A weighted blanket can help many people with autism, not just children. The weight of such blankets helps you to produce serotonin, the feel-good hormone. They also help autistic children to feel more secure and grounded. Feeling secure and grounded helps autistic people, not just children, to focus and function better than they normally can. Part of the serotonin changes to melatonin which helps the human body to rest and sleep at night.