Understanding Self-

Regulation Children & Young People’s Therapies Service – Occupational Therapy

With acknowledgements to Occupational Therapy for Children & Young People, NHS Dumfries & Galloway

Introducing…….

(images coloured and clipped by Disneyclips.com.)

Arousal describes how alert we feel at any one time. It is a state of the nervous system

Arousal enables us to concentrate and perform tasks in a way that meets the needs of a situation.

Higher or lower arousal can have an impact on performance and outcomes.

High or Low Arousal

Levels of Arousal

Arousal Levels

Getting into and maintaining the level of calmness or alertness that is just right for the situation is known as self regulation.

Self-Regulation

Self-Regulation is a person’s ability to

• adjust their level of alertness to the demands of their environment

• achieve their goals

• display their emotions or behaviour in socially appropriate ways.

A child develops the ability to self regulate as they get older.

What is Self Regulation?

3 Components of Self-regulation:

Emotional Regulation

Executive function (including Regulating impulses)

Sensory Regulation

Components of Self Regulation

Ability to control emotions …. to meet your goal

Anyone can become angry, that is easy…. But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose and in

the right way… this is not easy.”

Aristotle

Understanding other’s perspectives are also used in regulating emotions.

What is Emotional Regulation?

Executive function is like a command or control centre that oversees actions and mental operations.

For example:

• Planning and organising actions

• Executing a plan

• Impulse control

• Self-talk (internalisation of speech)

What is Executive Function?

• The way our brain uses our sensory experiences to enable us to learn and interact with our environment

• It helps us to notice, understand, and respond appropriately to what we can see, hear, feel etc.

• can alert us to danger, keep us focussed on task, maintain our energy/activity level.

• influences our ability to be in control of our responses to what is happening around us.

What is Sensory Processing?

When difficulties in one or more of the components of self-regulation occur the individual may have trouble adjusting their

level of alertness, which in turn will affect their performance.

Difficulties in Self Regulation

We need to teach our children GOOD coping and regulation strategies so they can help themselves when they become stressed, anxious, or sad.

Typically, children who can self-regulate will turn into teens who can self-regulate. Self-regulation skills are vital for the success and happiness of our children.

Why does Self Regulation matter?

• Be over-excitable a lot of the time, find it difficult to wait for their turn,

shout out, rush at tasks and be on the go.

• They may find it difficult to transition from fast paced playtime to

standing in line difficult.

• Have challenges with controlling their emotional states e.g. frequent and

sometimes lengthy tantrums

Common self-regulation/calming challenges

• What is the behaviour communicating?

(hungry, stress, pain?)

• How often is it happening? (Diary)

• Does the behaviour need to change?

• Is the child too calm or too alert?

• Is the behaviour in part sensory based?

Supporting Self-Regulation

Alerting Activities

Put wiggles in body – shake arms, legs…

Trampoline

Jumping on the spot

Bouncing on gym ball

Wobble cushion on chair to provide movement.

Theraband stretches

Beat box sounds

Fidgets referred to as ‘Brain Toy, Brain Food’

Find the itch – rub arms, legs…

Sensory strategies Calming Activities

Deep pressure

Having peanut ball rolled over their backs

For older kids - press-ups

Joint compressions

Squeezes

Stretches in chair, hold onto back and stretch/lean forward

Bottle Babies – weighted bottles to have on lap during carpet times

Walls are falling down, children push against walls

Supporting Self-Regulation

Investigating Self-Regulation

Supporting Self-Regulation – Sensory aspects

Date Describe the task/activity

Was the task successful What sensory behaviours / aspects stopped the task being successful

Did my child need to be calmer or more alert?

What strategy might help?

Date Describe the task/activity

Was my child too calm or too alert

What sensory strategy was tried

What was the outcome?

Was it helpful?

How can it be improved?

We can offer:

• reassurance if concerns are considered age appropriate and all part of typical sensory development

• advice for how to move on the concerns

• Signposting to any other resources or services which may be able to help

Telephone: 01992 823093

For advice sheets and to view this presentation please visit:

https://www.hct.nhs.uk/our-services/childrens-occupational-therapy/

Therapies Advice Line Service