Big Feelings, Big Behaviors: Supporting Your Child Through Emotional Dysregulation
When a child struggles with big emotional outbursts, it can be challenging for everyone involved. Parents do their best to help their child work through these feelings and behaviors, but oftentimes it doesn’t seem like it’s enough. Emotional dysregulation in children can have many root causes, making it crucial to understand and equip ourselves with strategies to help these children navigate their emotions effectively. Please note, it can be completely normal for children to have emotional dysregulation based on their age, which is why it is helpful to reach out to a professional for guidance. In this blog, we'll explore the causes, signs, and practical insights and strategies to help support your child with those big feelings and big behaviors.
Understanding the Cause of Emotional Dysregulation
Emotional dysregulation is a fancy therapy term that refers to difficulties in managing, expressing, or regulating emotions effectively. In my experience, this oftentimes looks like a child having a disproportionately big emotional reaction to what the situation would typically warrant. For children, this can present as intense outbursts, frequent meltdowns, withdrawal, or difficulty coping with everyday stressors. Causes vary, however some of the most frequent causes I’ve seen in clients are environmental factors, trauma history, neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD or Autism, and social/generalized anxiety. It doesn’t take a therapist to recognize the negative impact emotional dysregulation can have on a child's social interactions, school performance, and overall well-being.
Recognizing the Signs and Triggers
The first step to supporting your child through emotional dysregulation is simply recognizing the signs and triggers. Signs may include sudden mood changes, intense emotional reactions accompanied by yelling, crying, or even self-harm, heightened anxiety, or difficulties during transitions such as: going back to school after a long break, parental divorce, or moving. Triggers can range from social stressors, sensory overload, changes in routine, or specific environments. Identifying these triggers helps better prepare and therefore support children in managing their emotions.
Strategies to Help Your Child Regulate Their Emotions
The good news is, there are effective strategies to help your child regulate their emotions. Techniques such as mindfulness exercises, basic coping skills, and cognitive-behavioral strategies can provide children with tools to manage their emotions. When parents encourage use of these strategies, it’s only natural for the child to start learning how to manage their own emotions. If you have first ensured your child is getting the amount of sleep recommended and lives a generally healthy lifestyle, it could be helpful to reach out to a professional. One of the first resources I give parents is a “feelings chart”. Just encouraging children to identify their feelings daily using the chart, will help them to have a better understanding of what causes those feelings and the behaviors that follow. I have attached a free feelings chart to this post, so you can start using it in your home today.
Creating a Supportive Environment and Seeking Professional Help
Progress happens fastest when caregivers create a safe space and foster an environment where children feel accepted and encouraged. As the parent, you are the expert on your own child, so if you feel discouraged and have tried everything to help your child with their emotional dysregulation seeking professional help is the natural next step. If your child's emotional dysregulation significantly affects their daily life, and likely the entire family’s, I am glad to be a support. Please don’t hesitate to reach out today!
