27 Mar Understanding Emotional Dysregulation in Children: Beyond the “0-100” Reaction
It’s a phrase I often hear from families: “My child goes from 0 to 100 in an instant.” While this might be an all-too-common observation, the reality is that emotional regulation is not always so black and white. What if your child doesn’t seem to fit the “0-100” pattern? Could it be that there’s more going on beneath the surface?
Emotional dysregulation is something that everyone experiences at some point, but for children, it can be particularly challenging to manage. From an occupational therapy perspective, the ability to regulate one’s emotions is vital for emotional well-being. Regulation doesn’t happen in a vacuum, though—it’s often impacted by sensory overload, fatigue, and stress. For children, sensory input plays a major role. When there’s too much sensory stimulation—or, conversely, not enough—it can lead to emotional arousal, making it harder for a child to control their emotions. Fatigue is another big player; when children are tired, their brains have a diminished capacity to respond calmly, which increases the chances of emotional outbursts.
To understand emotional regulation better, think of behaviour like a fire. Many times, we react by “firefighting”—immediately trying to extinguish the flames of dysregulated behaviour without addressing the root causes. But what if, instead, we focused on preventing the fire before it starts? The key lies in recognising the antecedents, the things that happen before the emotional flare-up, such as hunger, overstimulation, or lack of rest. These “embers” fuel the emotional fire, making it more likely for the child to experience a meltdown.
Preventing the fire requires us to take a proactive approach: reducing stress and avoiding situations where children might become overwhelmed. By doing so, we give children a better chance to regulate their bodies and emotions when problems inevitably arise. Instead of responding to small issues with explosive reactions, we can create a more balanced environment where emotional outbursts are minimised.
It’s also essential to remember that emotional regulation isn’t just about the child—it’s about the adults in their lives too. It’s hard to help a child regulate if we aren’t regulating ourselves. Adults need to model emotional awareness and self-regulation to set the tone for children. By normalising dysregulation and taking the time to understand and support both our own emotions and those of the children we care for, we can create a healthier, more understanding environment for everyone involved.
Emotional dysregulation is a shared experience. By being mindful of the factors that contribute to it, we can foster a space for growth and understanding, helping children—and ourselves—learn how to manage emotions more effectively.