Zones of Regulations

Today we are discussing how we can help a child self-reflect and regulate their emotions in the classroom and at home. Self-regulation means well “you” and the ability to regulate or be in control of your emotions. The Zones of Regulations are tool used to determine a child’s emotional state, identify their feelings, understand how their behavior impacts those around them, and learn how to manage their feelings. There are four zones; our feeling and states determine what zone you are in. Below is a description of each zone, what signs to look for to determine what zone a child is in, and what to do if you are not in the green zone. However, the thing to take away is that there is no such thing as a bad zone, if the child is eliciting the proper reaction to a situation. The main focus is for the child to self-soothe or calm him/her self-down. 

• The Red Zone is used to describe extremely heightened states of alertness and intense emotions.  A person may be elated or experiencing anger, rage, devastation, or terror when in the Red Zone.  
• The Yellow Zone is also used to describe a heightened state of alertness and elevated emotions; however, one has more control when they are in the Yellow Zone.  A person may be experiencing stress, frustration, anxiety, excitement, silliness, the wiggles, or nervousness when in the Yellow Zone.  
• The Green Zone is used to describe a calm state of alertness. A person may be described as happy, focused, content, or ready to learn when in the Green Zone.  This is the zone where optimal learning occurs. This is where you want to be!! 

• The Blue Zone is used to describe low states of alertness and down feelings such as when one feels sad, tired, sick, or bored. 
  
  

  
  These are a list of OT interventions to get a child back to the green zone: 

  
  

  1.     Deep Breathing  

  2.     Manipulating hand fidgets  

  3.     Engaging in heavy work (lifting, pushing, and pulling activities)  

  4.     Jumping (knees to chest)  

  5.     Yoga   

  6.     Take a walk  

  7.     Using a weighted blanket/vest  

  8.     Count backwards from 20  

  9.     Getting a drink of water 

  10.  Wall/chair push-ups 

  11.  Listen to music 

  12.  Write about it 

  13.  Chew gum and other hard and chewy food/candy 

  14.  Aromatherapy (lavender, lemongrass, orange, frankincense, and bergamot essential oil) 

  
  

  Patel Samir, OTA/Student

  
  

  Tiffany Powers-Reid, OTR/L

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Tools to promote a mature pencil grip

With winter break over, and a new decade upon us, school is back in session! Kids that struggle with handwriting commonly come down to how they grasp their writing utensil. There are many products out there that parents can get for their kids to promote mature grasp. Also, there are accommodations for kids with weak hand muscles who fatigue easily after writing for an extended period. Below is a list of tools you can find to help your child if they struggle in any of these areas.

·     HandiWriter

o   This device helps those that fatigue quickly from prolonged writing. The device promotes proper pencil grip and relaxes the pencil on the webspace between the thumb and index finger.

·     PenAgain "Twist & Write" Pencils

o   These pencils promote mature tripod grasp to hold a pencil properly. This device is also useful for kids that use a lot of pressure when they write or those that hook their hand while writing.

·     Claw Grips

o   3-finger cup design that naturally places fingers in a functional tripod grasp and open web space position. The claw grip is an excellent tool to teach kids the proper way to grip and pencil correctly.

Patel Samir, OTA/student

Tiffany Powers-Reid, OTR/L