Self Regulation

What is self regulation?

Self-regulation is a person’s ability to adjust and control their energy level, emotions, behaviours and

attention. Appropriate self regulation suggests that this adjustment and control is conducted in ways that

are socially  acceptable.

Self-regulation development occurs in the following manner:

 12-18 months is when children become aware of social demands and develop the
ability to change their behaviour when a parent asks. In most cases, this early step in self-
control requires an adult to be nearby and directing behaviour.
 By 2 years of age, this ability improves to the point where children start to
develop self-control, or the ability to follow others behaviour guidelines more often even
when mum and dad aren’t around.
 Then by 3 years old, most children can generalise self regulation strategies used
from previous experiences. In other words, children will act in ways that reflect how they
think mum or dad would want them to act in different situations.

he processes involved in self-regulation can be divided into three broad areas: sensory regulation,

emotional regulation and cognitive regulation.

 Sensory Regulation: Allows children to maintain an appropriate level of

alertness in order to respond appropriately across environments to the sensory stimuli
present.
 Emotional Regulation: Allows children to respond to social rules with a range
of emotions through initiating, inhibiting, or modulating their behavior in a given
situation to ensure social acceptance.
 Cognitive Regulation: Allows children to use cognitive (mental) processes
necessary for problem solving and related abilities in order to demonstrate attention and
persistence to tasks.
Why is self regulation important?
Self-regulation skills are linked to how well children manage many tasks during early childhood. With
these skills, children are more able to manage difficult and stressful events that occur as part of life, such
as the loss of a pet, death of a family member or family separation. This helps to decrease the ongoing
impact of stress that can contribute to mental health difficulties.
As a child learns to self-regulate, skills such as concentrating, sharing and taking turns also develop. This
enables a child to move from depending on others to beginning to manage by themselves. Most children
at some stage will struggle to manage their feelings and behaviours, particularly when they are tired,
hungry or facing new experiences. When this happens, they might become upset, sulky or angry. This is
all part of being a young child and is not necessarily cause for concern. If however this is problematic on
a regular basis and there are seemingly little reasons for a child to be displaying such behaviours it is
likely to be problematic in that it will impact upon academic performance.
What are the building blocks necessary to develop self regulation?
 Behaviour: The actions of a person, usually in relation to their environment.
 Sensory processing: Accurate processing of sensory stimulation in the
environment as well as in one’s own body.
 Emotional Development/regulation: Involving the ability to perceive emotion,
integrate emotion to facilitate thought, understand emotions and to regulate emotions.
 Attention and Concentration: Sustained effort, doing activities without
distraction and being able to hold that effort long enough to get the task done.
 Executive Function: Higher order reasoning and thinking skills (e.g. what
would mum want me to do in this situation?).
 Planning and sequencing: The sequential multi-step task or activity
performance to achieve a well-defined result.
 Receptive Language: Comprehension of spoken language.
 Social skills: Are determined by the ability to engage in reciprocal interaction
with others (either verbally or non-verbally), to compromise with others, and be able to
recognize and follow social norms.
 Working memory: The ability to temporarily retain and manipulate information
involved in language comprehension, reasoning, and learning new information.
How can you tell if my child has problems with self regulation?

If a child has difficulties with self regulation they might:

 Be under-reactive to certain sensations (e.g. not noticing name being called,

being touched, high pain threshold).
 Appear lethargic/disinterested; appearing to mostly be in their ‘own world’.
 Have difficulty regulating their own behavioural and emotional responses;
increased tantrums, emotional reactive, need for control, impulsive behaviours, easily
frustrated or overly compliant.
 Have tantrums that last for longer than typical
 The number of tantrums or behavioural episodes per day is more than typical
 Is difficult to discipline
 Typical behavioural strategies are ineffective.
 Is easily distracted, shows poor attention and concentration.
 Has poor sleep patterns.
 Loves movement. Seeks out intense pressure (e.g. constant spinning, running
around, jumping, crashing in objects/people).
 Has delayed communication and social skills, is hard to engage in two-way
interactions.
 Prefers to play on their own or has difficulty in knowing how to play with other
children.
 Has difficulty accepting changes in routine or transitioning between tasks.
 Has difficulty engaging with peers and sustaining friendships.
What other problems can occur when a child has self regulation difficulties?

When a child has self regulation difficulties, they might also have difficulties with:

 Heightened reactivity to sound, touch or movement.

 Being under-reactive to certain sensations (e.g. not noticing name being called,
being touched, high pain threshold).
 Appearing lethargic/disinterested; appearing to mostly be in their ‘own world’.
 Being easily distracted, showing poor attention and concentration.
 Have poor motor skills; appearing clumsy, have immature coordination, balance
and motor planning skills, and/or poor handwriting skills.
 Have poor sleep patterns
 Have restricted eating habits or be a picky eater.
 Become distressed during self-care tasks (e.g. hair-brushing, hair-washing, nail
cutting, dressing, tying shoe laces, self-feeding).
 Love movement so they seeks out intense pressure (e.g. constant spinning,
running around, jumping, crashing into objects/people). or
 Avoid movement  such as avoiding movement based play equipment (e.g.
swings, slides etc).
 Appear floppy or have ‘low muscle tone’, tire easily and shows a slumped
posture.
 Perform tasks with too much force, have big movements, move too fast, write
too light or too hard.
 Have delayed communication and social skills, is hard to engage in two-way
interactions.
 Prefer to play on their own or have difficulty in knowing how to play with other
children.
 Have difficulty accepting changes in routine or transitioning between tasks.
 Have difficulty engaging with peers and sustaining friendships.
 Display risky behaviours in play.
 Flits between play activities, instead of sticking with one long enough to actually
engage in it.
 Seem less ‘mature’ than other of the same age.
 Being emotionally labile (showing rapidly fluctuating emotion levels in a short
time).
What can be done to improve self regulation?
 Trialing Management strategies: Trialing and refining the variety of
management strategies as not all management strategies work with all children.
 Sensory Processing: Enhancing the child’s efficient and appropriate response to
sensory stimulation through therapeutic intervention.
 Social stories: Visually depicted stories which are used to teach children
specific social skills that they may find confusing or difficult to understand. The goal of
the story is to increase the child’s understanding by describing in detail a specific
situation and suggesting an appropriate social response.
 Role playing: As a means of addressing possible scenarios to teach appropriate
ways to act and interact.
 Improve language and communication to improve the ability to cognitively
regulate better.
 Alert (Engine) program to promote self-regulation through sensory and
cognitive strategies.
 M.O.R.E program implementation using motor components, oral organization,
respiratory demands, and eye contact to assist with sensory regulation.
 The Wilbarger Protocol (Deep Pressure Proprioceptive Technique sometimes
known as the “Brushing” program) is a therapy program designed to reduce sensory or
tactile defensiveness and assist with sensory regulation.
What activities can help improve self regulation?
 Sensory diet to provide sensory feedback to the body which enables better
sensory regulation.These activities might include:
 Wheelbarrow walking
 Animal walks
 Trampolining
 Cycling
 Swings (forward and back, side to side, rotary)
 Rough and tumble play / squishing or sandwiching with pillows
or balls.
 Wearing a heavy backpack
 Weighted items (wheat bag on lap while sitting or heavy blanket
for sleep).
 Chewy toys
 Discrete skills: Activities that have a defined start and end point such as puzzles,
construction tasks, mazes, and dot to dots.
 Narrowly focused tasks: Sorting, organising and categorising activities (e.g.
card games such as Uno, Snap or Blink).
 Visual schedules enable a child to see and understand what is going to happen
next. Schedules also help people to organise themselves and to plan ahead.
 Timers help with transitions as they tell the child how long and when they are
going to have to do an activity.Timers also allow us to pre-warn the child when a
favoured activity is coming to an end.
 Talking/question counters for the over-talkers: For small discrete periods of
time where the child is engaged in an activity, provide a series (maybe 5) of talking or
question counters. Each time the child talks or asks a question one counter is removed.
When the child has no more counters, adults do not respond and the child learns to hold
onto questions and when to ask them.

Why should I seek therapy if I notice difficulties with self regulation in my

child?

Therapeutic intervention to help the child with self regulation is important to:

 Enable the child to reach their full potential.

 Assist with the child’s ability to regulate for sleep.
 School transition may be difficult if they are unable to follow instructions within
the educational setting (e.g. classroom instructions, academic task requirements).
 Ensure the child is well equipped to manage social situations where they need to
play with peers.
 Allow the child to cope in busy environments.
f left untreated what can difficulties with self regulation lead to?

When children have difficulties with self regulation difficulties, they might also have difficulties with:

 Anxiety and stress in a variety of situations leading to difficulty reaching their

academic potential.
 Appropraite behaviour, contributing to extreme fatigue as they may have an
inability to settle themselves to sleep.
 Challenges working in small groups/with others for play or group learning tasks.
 Making and keeping friends.
 Families of a child experiencing self regulation difficulties are also likely to be
negatively impacted through stress and the inability to participate in day-to-day activities
due to their child’s difficulty coping with change.
Sensory Processing Development
Chart
Sensory Processing (or Integration as it is also known) is the effective registration (and accurate

interpretation) of sensory input in the environment (including one’s body). It is the way the brain

receives, organises and responds to sensory input in order to behave in a meaningful & consistent manner.

Note: Each stage of development assumes that the preceding stages have been successfully achieved.

Developmental milestones Possible implications if

Age
milestones not achieved

 Recognizes scent of  May have

mother’s breast milk difficulty with
 Hearing is mature breast feeding
 Tracks objects with  May have
eyes difficulties settling
 Looks at own hands to sleep
 Responds to sounds  May cry
and voice often
 Reaches for nearby
0-6 objects
months  Actively coordinates
suck, swallow, breath
sequence, tongue is cupped,
forward rhythmical movements
of the tongue, and jaw
consistently moves up and
down in a coordinated pattern
 Sleeps 4-10 hour
intervals
 Cries to communicate
hunger, fear, discomfort

6-12  Plays 2-3 minutes with  May have

months a single toy difficulty tolerating
 Imitates gestures different textured
 Uses tongue to move foods
food around mouth  May have
 Opens mouth to be fed difficulties settling
 Sleeps 10-12 hours and may wake
with only 1 awakening often during the
 Tolerates a range of night
different textured foods  May have
 Drinks from a cup difficulties
socialising with
parents and joint
attention
 May
struggle to copy
and learn from
others due to poor
understanding and
attention

 Bothered by soiled  May have

nappy difficulties
 Distinguishes between socialising with
edible and inedible objects (18 parents and joint
months) attention
 Understands common  May
dangers of hot objects, stairs, struggle to copy
glass and learn from
 Enjoys messy play others due to poor
 Reacts to extremes in understanding and
temperature attention
1-2  Copies sounds that  May have
years you make delayed play skills
 Looks for an object (e.g. show little
he/she watched fall out of sight interest in toys)
(such as a spoon that fell under  May have
the table) difficulty tolerating
 Follow simple 1 step different textured
instructions foods
 Solves problems with  May have
trial and error difficulties settling
and may wake
often during the
night

 Uses toilet with  May have

assistance and has daytime trouble socialising
control with peers and joint
 Sits to look at books attention
independently  May
 Pays attention for 3 struggle to copy
minutes and learn from
 Begins to be able to others due to poor
take turns understanding and
 Explores surroundings attention
 Points to 5-6 parts of a  May have
doll when asked difficulties
 Matches circles and following
2-3
squares instructions at
years
home/child care
 May
demonstrate
delayed play skills
 May
demonstrate
difficulties with
toilet training
 May have
difficulty tolerating
different textured
foods (e.g. picky
eater)
 Can count 1-5  May have
 Knows most colours difficulties
 Can differentiate socialising with
between real and pretend world peers
 Takes turns  May
 Able to completely struggle to copy
clothe self, only requiring and learn from
assistance with laces, buttons, others due to poor
and other fasteners in awkward understanding and
places attention
 Feeds self without  May have
difficulty difficulties
 Social encounters are following
3-4
acted out through play instructions at
years
activities home, childcare,
kindergarten, pre-
school
 May have
difficulties
expressing wants,
needs, thoughts and
ideas
 May have
difficulty tolerating
different textured
foods (e.g. picky
eater)

 Can count 1-10  May have

 Knows shapes difficulties
 Develops friendships socialising
 Expresses emotions  May
 Able to follow rules struggle to copy
 Able to sit and pay and learn from
attention (e.g. mat time) others due to poor
understanding and
attention
 May have
difficulties
following
instructions at
4-5 home or
years kindergarten
 May have
difficulties
expressing wants,
needs, thoughts and
ideas
 May have
difficulties sitting
still
 May have
difficulty tolerating
different textured
foods (e.g. picky
eater)
 20/20 vision  May have
 Able to write numbers difficulties
and letters socialising
 Begins to be able to  May have
write simple sentences poor attention and
 Begins to recognise concentration
others perspectives  May have
 Knows left and right difficulties
 Begins to reason and following
argue; uses words like why and instructions at
because home, school
 Can categorize  May have
objects: “These are toys; These difficulties retelling
are books” events
 Understand concepts  May have
5-6
like yesterday, today, and difficulties
years
tomorrow following routines
 Can copy complex  May have
shapes, such as a diamond difficulties
 Should be sounding expressing thoughts
out simple words like “hang”, and ideas verbally
“neat”, “jump” and “sank” and in written form
 Can sit at a desk ,  May be
follow teacher instructions, and easily distracted
independently do simple in- and have difficulty
class assignments sitting still
 May have
difficulty tolerating
different textured
foods (e.g. picky
eater)

6-7  Forms numbers and  May have

years letters correctly difficulties
 Recognises others socialising
perspective  May have
 Develops a longer poor attention and
attention span concentration
 Are willing to take on  May have
more responsibility (i.e. chores) difficulties
 Understands fractions following
and the concept of space instructions at
 Understands money home, school
 Can tell time  May have
 Can name months and difficulties retelling
days of the week in order events
 Enjoys reading a book  May have
on their own difficulties
expressing thoughts
and ideas verbally
and in written form
 May have
difficulties
responding
appropriately to
questions
 May have
difficulty tolerating
different textured
foods (e.g. picky
eater)
Sensory Processing Development
Checklist
Does your child have difficulty with:

Age  Skill  Yes  No

Tracking objects with eyes.

Coordinating suck, swallow, breath sequence, tongue is cupped,

forward rhythmical movements of the tongue, and jaw consistently
moves up and down in a coordinated pattern.
0-6
months
Sleeping for 4-10 hour intervals.

Communicating hunger, fear or discomfort through crying.

Reaching for nearby objects.

Playing for 2-3 minutes with a single toy.

Reaching for nearby objects.

Tracking objects with eyes.

Imitating gestures- Responds to facial expressions.

Identifies self in a mirror.

6-12
months
Sleeping 10-12 hours with only 1 awakening.

Communicating hunger, fear or discomfort through crying.

Tolerating a range of different textured foods.

Drinking from a cup.

Using tongue to move food around mouth.

1-2 Distinguishing between edible and inedible objects (18 months).

years
Looking in the right spot for hidden objects.
Playing next to children.

Sitting to look and listen to books being read.

Engaging in imaginative play.

Understanding common dangers of hot objects, stairs, glass.

Imitating gestures – Responds to facial expressions.

Enjoying/tolerating messy play.

Tolerating a range of different textured foods.

Drinking from a cup.

Settling themselves to sleep at night or during the day.

Copying sounds that you make.

Following simple 1 step instructions.

Solving problems with trial and error.

2-3 Using toilet with assistance and having daytime control.

years
Has an awareness of a parent’s approval or disapproval of their
actions.

Understanding common dangers of hot objects, stairs, glass.

Settling themselves to sleep at night or during the day.

Sitting to look at a book independently.

Expressing emotions.

Distinguishing between edible and inedible objects (18 months).

Tolerating a range of different textured foods.

Engaging in imaginative play.

Paying attention for 3 minutes.

Following simple instructions (e.g. “Give ball to daddy”).

Following 2 part instructions (e.g. “Go to your room and get your
shoes”).

Enjoying/tolerating messy play.

Solving problems with trial and error.

Pointing to 5-6 parts of a doll when asked.

Matching circles and squares.

Counting 1-5.

Has an awareness of a parent’s approval or disapproval of their

actions.

Understanding common dangers of hot objects, stairs, glass.

Expressing emotions.

Settling themselves to sleep at night or during the day.

Remembering most colours.

Choosing weather appropriate clothes.

3-4 Differentiating between real and pretend world.

years
Taking turns.

Playing with 2 or 3 children in a group.

Play themes expand beyond personal experience (e.g. fireman rescuing

people).

Enjoying/tolerating messy play.

Dressing self (only requiring assistance with laces, buttons, and other
fasteners in awkward places).

Tolerating different clothing textures, seams, tags etc.

Feeding self without difficulty.

Pointing to 5-6 parts of a doll when asked.

Coping in busy/noisy environments.

Counting 1-10.

Settling themselves to sleep at night.

Naming shapes.

Developing friendships.

Expressing emotions.

Following rules.

Sitting to pay attention e.g. mat time.

4-5
years
Coping in noisy/busy environments.

Choosing weather appropriate clothes.

Dressing self independently.

Feeding self without difficulty.

Taking turns.

Playing with 4 or 5 children in a group.

Tolerating different clothing textures, seams, tags etc.

5-6 Writing numbers and letters.

years
Writing simple sentences.

Feeding self without difficulty.

Expressing emotions.

Recalling events and describing them.

Remembering a sentence to write that was just thought about or told.

Distinguishing between left and right.

Categorizing objects: “These are toys; these are books”.

Understanding concepts like yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Copying complex shapes, such as a diamond.

Sounding out simple words like “hang”, “neat”, “jump” and “sank”.

Sitting at a desk, following teacher instructions, and independently

doing simple in-class assignments.

Knowing where their body is in time and space to coordinate body

movements for ball skills.

Feeding self without difficulty.

Tolerating different clothing textures, seams, tags etc.

Coping in busy/noisy environments.

Settling independently for sleep.

6-7 Forming numbers and letters correctly.

years
Independently getting herself to sleep and sleeping through the night.

Eating a range of food and tolerating different textures.

Recognising others’ perspective.

Recalling events and describing them.

Expressing emotions.

Remembering a sentence to write that was just thought about or told.

Attending for longer periods of time.

Sitting still (e.g. in class, at mealtimes etc).

Independently toileting during the day and at night.

Coping in busy/noisy environments.

Understanding fractions and the concept of space.

Understanding money.

Taking on more responsibilities e.g. chores.

Naming months and days of week in order.

Telling the time.

Reading a book on their own.

Feeding self without difficulty.

Knowing where their body is in time and space to coordinate body

movements for ball skills.

Playing with 4 or 5 children in a group.

Inhibiting the need to talk and ask questions.

7-8 Forming numbers and letters correctly.

years
Recognising others’ perspective.

Recalling events and describing them.

Expressing emotions.

Remembering a sentence to write that was just thought about or told.

Attending for longer periods of time.

Sitting still (e.g. in class, at mealtimes etc).

Coping in busy/noisy environments.

Understanding fractions and the concept of space.

Taking on more responsibilities e.g. chores.

Understanding money.

Telling the time.

Naming months and days of week in order.

Reading a book on their own.

Knowing where their body is in time and space to coordinate body

movements for ball skills.

Inhibiting the need to talk and ask questions.