Self-Regulation: How can we support this skill in our children?

Self-Regulation: What does it mean?

Self-regulation is our ability to adapt our body’s level of alertness (or arousal) to match the demands of a particular task or environment. When a child’s level of arousal is matched to the demand of an activity, it allows him/her to learn and participate fully in the task. The optimal level of alertness depends upon the activity; thus, we must be able to modulate or adapt our arousal to participate in various activities throughout our day. Children with sensory processing difficulty often have difficulty regulating their level of arousal and may benefit from additional tools and supports. See below for some examples: 

• Low Arousal: A child with low arousal may appear tired, withdrawn, and slow to react or respond. He might slump in his chair or put his head in his hands. This child may have difficulty paying attention in the classroom, engaging with peers, or participating in daily activities without additional help and prompting. A child with low arousal may benefit from additional and alerting sensory input to achieve a higher level of arousal and engage optimally with his environment.

• High Arousal: A child with high arousal may seem to have excessive energy, may appear silly or impulsive, may have a meltdown, or may even shut down to minimize overwhelming environmental stimuli. This child benefits from calming activities to lower her arousal and thus engage fully in the classroom, with her peers, and with her family.

• Optimal Arousal: Optimal arousal depends on the task at hand. A higher level of alertness is optimal during recess, while a lower level is ideal for the classroom, and an even lower level is best at bedtime. A child with optimal arousal in the classroom is alert, calm, and ready to engage with the task at hand. The ability to regulate arousal is important for a child to be successful across multiple environments that he may be presented with; for example, it allows a child to transition from running around on the playground back into the classroom where a lower level of arousal is required.

How Can We Help?

As Occupational Therapists, our role is often to provide supports to help our clients reach an optimal arousal level for learning and growth to occur. Our priority is to teach our clients and their families how to use tools to regulate their level of alertness across multiple environments, tasks, and situations. Which specific tools work best for which child varies greatly, and thus guidance from an Occupational Therapist can be particularly helpful. For example, a child who is hyper-sensitive to tactile input may not experience calming from tactile play. See below for some examples of the types of activities that can help a child achieve optimal arousal.

Alerting Activities

• Whole body: 

  • Rotary movement

  • Unpredictable, jerky, or rapid movement

  • Bouncing/jumping

  • Flipping head upside down/inversion

  • Bilateral tasks (using the two sides of the body together)

• Oral      

  • Cold water/drinks

  • Crunchy foods

Calming Activities

• Whole body

  • Linear, rhythmic movement (think back and forth on a swing)

  • Heavy work activities: animal walks, yoga, pushing/pulling (see our blog post on Heavy Work for a comprehensive list!)

  • Deep pressure (Bear hugs, “sandwich” between pillows

• Oral

  • Deep breathing activities

  • Sucking through a resistive straw or bite down water bottle

  • Chewy foods

• Hands

  • Use of a fidget tool

  • Tactile play 

  • Resistive theraputty or playdough

Environment Considerations

Parents, therapists, and educators can play a large role in helping a child’s self-regulation just by the way they set up an environment at home, in the clinic, or in the classroom. Children who struggle with self-regulation have even more difficulty in an environment that is cluttered, overcrowded, or noisy. Simple tips to keep in mind include: keep colors and patterns simple; minimize clutter; have a place for items and supplies; and reduce background noises as much as possible. 

Other Considerations

Sensory stimulation and the environment are not the only factors that affect a child’s ability to self-regulate. Internal factors can play a large role as well. These include hunger, sleep, sickness/illness, and/or additional stressors in the child’s life, among others. An Occupational Therapist can help identify what stressors or factors may be affecting a child’s self-regulation skills and problem solve the best way to support that child. At times, it may even be as simple as providing a crunchy snack to address hunger and increase arousal!

**If you feel as though your child may struggle with self-regulation, don’t hesitate to reach out for an Occupational Therapy evaluation! Our skilled therapists provide an in-depth evaluation and are able to provide specific guidance to support our clients.