Emotional Regulation

OTs can play a key role in helping children develop emotional regulation—the ability to recognize, manage, and respond to emotions in a healthy way. Emotional regulation is essential for successful participation in daily activities like school, play, and social interactions. Here's how a pediatric OT can help:

Understanding Sensory Needs & Body Awareness

Many children struggle with emotional regulation due to difficulties with sensory processing—how the brain interprets and responds to sensory input (e.g., sounds, touch, movement).

OTs assess sensory preferences and sensitivities (e.g., overreacting to noise, craving movement).
We use assessments to help identify triggers.
We can create sensory diets—custom routines of sensory activities that help a child stay calm and focused.

OTs help children recognize how emotions affect their body and use that awareness to regulate themselves. Activities might include body scans, yoga, or movement games. We may use interoception training—helping children tune in to internal cues like a racing heart or tense muscles as signals of emotional states.

Teaching Self-Regulation Strategies

OTs teach children skills and techniques to identify and manage their emotions. Some examples may include:

Zones of Regulation: A common program used to help kids categorize emotions into zones (blue = sad, green = calm, yellow = anxious, red = angry) and choose appropriate coping strategies.
Mindfulness techniques: Breathing exercises, guided imagery, and movement to help calm the nervous system.
Social stories and visual supports: Tools to help kids understand emotional responses and appropriate behaviors.

Improving Executive Functioning

Emotional regulation is closely tied to executive functions like impulse control, flexible thinking, and planning.

OTs use play-based tasks and structured routines to build these skills.
We work on delaying gratification, problem-solving, and transitioning between activities—all of which support better emotional control.