Self Regulation: What is it?

Self regulation is our ability to achieve, sustain and change our arousal level to meet the changing demands of the task or situation. 

Arousal Level: What is it?

Arousal refers to our ability to maintain an optimal performance level, and how alert we are in order to sustain our attention and complete tasks as the environment requires. 

A person’s arousal level fluctuates throughout the day. Everyone’s arousal level fluctuates differently, however we often wake up under aroused, arousal levels then build throughout the day, and begin to drop again in the evening to get us ready for sleep. 

Our body is calm and ready to learn/work when we are in the optimal arousal section i.e. not over or under aroused (see below). It is important to learn how to bring yourself back into optimal arousal.

A child needs to be in an alert but calm state to be ready to engage in learning tasks. 

Under arousal
Some children have difficulty lifting their arousal throughout the day. If your child’s arousal is too low, they may appear tired, lethargic or distracted. For example, your child may slump in their chair, need to prop their head up with their hands, and become easily distracted by other sensory input in the room. An under aroused child will often choose the more sedentary activities.

Over arousal
Some children’s arousal levels sky rocket and remain high throughout the day. If your child’s arousal is too high, they may be in constant motion or appear agitated or disorganised. For example, your child may be bouncing in their seat, or constantly getting out of their chair to move about the classroom. An over aroused child may appear too busy creating more stimulus (tapping their pencil, using hand fidgets) to concentrate on their task.

Modulating arousal throughout the day
Children also need to be able to regulate their level of arousal. For example, a high level of arousal is optimal when running around in the playground, but the child then needs to be able to bring their arousal level back down to return to the classroom, sit at their desk and attend to their learning task.

Signs your child may have difficulty modulating arousal levels

• Difficulty calming down for their bedtime routine and falling asleep at night

• Difficulty sitting down at a table for an extended period of time - e.g. learning task or eating dinner at the dinner table

• Regularly tired and lethargic even if they’ve had a good nights sleep

What next?

If you feel as though your child may have difficulty with their arousal level, or if you would like more information on our Occupational Therapy services, please contact Acorn Autism.