Port Glasgow ASN Parent Group

Click on the image for full info-visual - Please share if you find this helpful ❤️ Dysregulation, or emotional dysregulation, refers to when a person is unable to regulate their own emotional response. They are overwhelmed and unable to manage or control their reaction, which may then be displayed as a meltdown, or as a shutdown. This feeling of overwhelm is often caused by high levels of anxiety, or by sensory overload. For this reason, emotional dysregulation is more commonly experienced by those with sensory processing differences, and those who have difficulty with anxiety. These are both more common in Autistic individuals, those with ADHD and other neurodivergence, as well as other special educational needs (SEN). In children and young people the resulting behaviour may be challenging for adults around them to manage, particularly if the cause is not understood, or if strategies are not in place to support them.  The first step to preventing emotional dysregulation is understanding what the triggers are for that child or young person. When a meltdown or shutdown happens, record what the situation was, and what the cause of the distress may have been. Take notice of the sensory environment (sounds, lights, smells), the social environment (who was present, how familiar with those people is the child, what were the expectations in that situation), and any longer term worries that may be causing anxiety. It is important that schools and families communicate effectively to ensure that each are aware of events or situations that the child or young person may be anxious about. Be aware that a child or young person in a meltdown may seem to be upset about one thing, but in fact have wider anxieties, for example a child who seems to have been triggered by food choices at lunch time may in fact have become overwhelmed due to social anxieties around playtime, or the noisy environment of the dinner hall, with food choices becoming ‘the straw that broke the camel’s back’ and tipping them into dysregulation.  It might not be possible to prevent all emotional dysregulation from happening. Life is unpredictable and not all situations are within our control, so overwhelm and anxiety may sometimes occur, no matter what preventative measures we put in place. But there are still things we can do during and after a dysregulation episode to support the children and young people in our care. Once you have an idea of what may trigger dysregulation, where possible make adjustments to avoid those situations.