1. Supporting your Child’s Emotional Regulation
September 15, 2018

2. Emotional Dysregulation: Denise Houston MA, LPC Houston Counseling Services, INC
What is it?
Poorly modulated/managed emotional response that falls outside typically accepted ranges of emotional responses (e.g. severe mood fluctuations or mood swings)
May stem from a trauma or loss experience
What does it look like?
Angry outbursts: may include destructive behaviors or aggression toward self or others, threats
Disruptive behaviors
Poor frustration tolerance
Depression/withdrawal
Apathy/loss of interest in goals
Anxiety/worry
Poor concentration or focus
Fighting
Truancy
Substance abuse
Can interfere with social interactions and relationships

3. Emotional Dysregulation How can Parents Help?
Encouragement/ Positive Reinforcement
Recognize the good things they do
Physical Comfort
Assists in calming
For Overwhelm versus anger
Structure/Routine/ Predictability
Bed time
Wake up time
Meal time
Provides external controls
Reduce major changes in routines on weekends
Creative Corner
Location for free, creative play: play doh, sandbox, music, silly putty, finger painting, crayons/paper, etc
Nutrition
Maintain blood sugar throughout the day
Bedtime Routine
Sleep is imperative!
Start calming minutes before routine: no screens, include parents, relaxing music, reading books
Sample Routine: game in bedroom, bath, brush teeth, use toilet, 2 books, lights out, sing a song, Goodnight
5 Minute Rule
At least 5 minutes a day with no agenda, child led and undivided parent attention
Limit Screen Time
No more than minutes per day
Discipline the Thinking Brain
When calm, in a teachable moment rather than increasing upset/emotion
Additional Activities to Attempt
Large motor activity
Pretend Play
Provide positive peer interactions

4. Additional Information – author: Dr. Bruce Perry, MD, PhD
Neuroscience to Support Interventions
Humans are a social species
Associate presence of known people with safety and comfort
Heart rate and blood pressure are lower
Stress response systems are quiet
Stress response systems are interconnected with systems that read/respond to human social cues
We often ‘reflect’ or ‘mirror’ the emotions and responses of others
“Because of the mirroring neurobiology of our brains, one of the best ways to help someone else become calm and centered is to calm and center ourselves first...”
page 245
Regions of the brain control different aspects of development/functioning and must be used/exercised to fully develop
For Example: Making choices; Learning from consequences; Responding to emotions
Repetition of the appropriate responses is required to retrain the brain and support the child in using a ‘good’ response rather than the ‘bad’ responses used in the past
“I cannot emphasize enough how important routine and repetition are..the brain changes in response to patterned, repetitive experiences: the more you repeat something, the more engrained it becomes. Once a pattern is started, it becomes like a groove or a rut, making similar behavior easier, more likely to be repeated.”
pages 243 and 245

5. Georgia State University
Center for Leadership in Disability

6. Georgia State Resources
Positive Behavior Videos
Videos describing the FBA/BIP process: function, replacements, consequences
Additional resources on Positive Behavior Supports
Free access
Create a user name and Password to save completed BBQuIPs?
GSU Resources
BBQuIP
The Positive Behavior Videos
it is imperative to understand the function, or the ‘pay off’ , the why of your child’s problem behaviors. Then you make sure those problem behaviors don’t get the pay off, and you teach something you want them to do that gets the same pay off.
online resource designed to guide educators and parents through the functional behavior assessment/behavior intervention plan process
Videos on basic strategies for home, similar to what we discussed earlier tonight, as well as explaining more on functions and function based interventions. Through these they also describe/explain how to use the Brief Behavioral Questionnaire and Intervention Plan tool
BBQuIP
The BBQuIP you to identify the child’s  behavior of concerns, the behavior triggers, and the ways in which the adults responses to the child may be contributing to the behavior. Will give you a starting point for simple interventions.

7. Completed BBQuIP
Background information for ES. Favorite activities: reading playing games with others watching movies.  Disliked/less preferred activities: brushing teeth eating new foods following directions.  Personal characteristics: Energetic or Active.  Behavior when upset: Verbal.  Routine or responses that aid in calming: Talk it through.  Regular mode of communication: Speaks in sentences.  Recent goals mastered: math dressing self resting when sick.
Hypothesis Statement: ES engages in the behavior of yells/screams during the following time: "depends on situation" and when the following situation is occurring ""when she doesn't get what she wants when she is mad"" and when the following happens "when told no; when angry or excited". The typical consequence for the behavior includes the following "we talk to the child." ES is trying to say "I want something" through the behavior, which suggests that this is the function of the behavior.
Behavior Intervention Plan:  Prevention: The following strategy(ies) "give a transition cue use a rewards chart" have been identified as ways to make the behavior of "yells/screams" less likely to occur.  Replacement: "accept alternatives" has been identified as a skill to increase. A good way to teach this would be through the use of "Social Story – Construct a story with pictures and words in which the student confronts a difficult situation and demonstrates the desired behavior, including self-reminders the student may use. The story can be read at a regularly scheduled time, as well as in preparation for situations expected to be difficult.."  Skills instructor(s): The following person/people "parent" would be the best person to teach this skill.  A good time to teach this would be at the following time or during the following activity: "when she is calm and attentive."  Generalization: To increase generalization of the newly learned skill, adults should do the following: "Use multiple examples."  In the event of a behavioral incident problem, we will use the following strategy: "Ignore the behavior and redirect the child by presenting a choice of two positive alternatives.."
Commitment: MS developed this plan on 3/3/2015. The team will review it on 3/15/2015. Melissa Simpson will ensure that this plan is carried out as outlined.

8. The Incredible 5 Point Scale Zones of Regulation

9. 5 Point Scale Authors: Kari Dunn Buron and Mitzi Curtis
Strategy for self monitoring and self calming/coping
Originally designed for children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder
Individualized scale created for each person/situation
Examples: Anger, Anxiety, Frustration, Fear, Voice Level, Big Problem/Little Problem, Appropriate Physical Interactions with Others
Student Sample
Anxiety Curve Worksheet

10. 5 Point Scale - continued
Won’t be a quick fix
Process:
Identify the name/behavior targeted
Label on a scale of 1 to 5 what it looks like, feels like, and what coping strategies are helpful/appropriate
Practice using when calm/rational
Slowly implement during times of escalation
Resources:
Books Amazon m/

12. Zones of Regulation

13. Additional Web Based Resources

14. Online Resources
Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning
Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention
Stress Free Kids
Center for Effective Collaboration and Practice
Child Mind Institute
Harvard Graduate School Article
Teaching Frustration Tolerance - (PBS)

15. Questions?