Each person has their own sized panic and comfort zone:
Too much cortisol flooding the brain causes structural brain changes.
Steps involved in the learning zone:
Too much cortisol flooding the brain causes structural brain changes.
Steps involved in the learning zone:
1. Develop interoceptive awareness
2. Develop awareness of emotions as they are developing, and
develop and practice the skills to respond to developing emotions
(Co-regulation - teachers/caregivers can support this by prompting child e.g. 'let's have a drink' etc)
3. Self-manage and self-regulate to prevent entry into panic
zone
4. Comfort zone is resting, regulated – parasympathetic
dominant state – can be hard to identify when we are in that state.
Managing Neuro-Diversity Can Be Challenging
- Many autistics of all ages seem to struggle with emotional regulation
- They do not always exhibit typical emotional signals, which can make it hard for other people to help co-regulate them
- Difficult behaviour is NOT an inherent part of autism, but where parents do not know this they can apply ineffective strategies
- Our ability to experience feelings or emotions (which impacts behaviour) is controlled by the interoception centre of the brain
What Is Interoception?
Bodily feelings are not recognised e.g. a child with interoception challenges may not feel when to go to toilet (until right before); may not recognise when to put head up in swimming etc.
Other Important Aspects Of Interoception
Other Important Aspects Of Interoception
Children need co-regulation from teachers (e.g. it is hot, you need to take your jumper off so yo don't overheat.
They will have the same level of awareness of self as someone much younger, for example an 18 month old.
They may do things that look like self-harm but which are an attempt to feel.
It can look like a child going from 0 to 10 (rage) in seconds.
The more trauma you experience the more your introspective ability down.
They will have the same level of awareness of self as someone much younger, for example an 18 month old.
They may do things that look like self-harm but which are an attempt to feel.
It can look like a child going from 0 to 10 (rage) in seconds.
The more trauma you experience the more your introspective ability down.
How Can We Help Our Neuro-Diverse Children?
- Be aware - the child may not show any signs of distress at the time.
- Communication, when they are experiencing heightened emotions, may be limited or non-existant. Make an alternative communication system with the child, and how them how to use it.
- Teach about this when child is in the calm zone not the panic zone.
- Children need to understand and be aware of the sensations and a way to describe them (using pictures and/or words, music etc).
- Teach mindful-body awareness activities 2-3 times a day for 1-5 minutes (e.g, start of day; after each break) - see activities here (see interoception 101 document).
- Teaching children to notice is most important...e,g, stretch up, what can you feel?
Regulation Planning (for Neuro-Diverse Children)
- Create this with the child and their family. NB The child might know how they feel but cannot self-regulate effectively. They may not know when they are going into panic.
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