I am curious about people's thoughts and experiences with OT strategies for self regulation? DS5 with DCD is having a positive experience with OT focusing on motor issues. His teachers know he is in OT and keep asking for OT input on self regulation. When he is upset you can see it in his body (more movement, more tension), and he tends to get in other students personal space and bother them. He is not being aggressive and this does not happen with kids that he trusts, and overall things have improved as he feels more comfortable with the kids in his class. He is not having outbursts or melt downs. We agree that psychomotor activity and personal space infringements when upset are things he needs to work on. Our pediatrician and OT have recommended games to practice inhibition, like red light green light and what time is it Mr Fox, and as we have started playing them at home we can see they are sometimes challenging for him (stopping his body can be hard!) and he has made improvements as we play these regularly. I like the play approach because I think it is a natural way kids learn to practice inhibition. The teachers keep asking for an OT intervention to calm him when upset, and that maybe they can apply to the rest of the class too. My gut feeling is that they are asking for a non- evidence based quick fix, and I am uncomfortable. What are your thoughts/experiences with OT calming interventions? What did you use? Did it work? Did it contribute to long term improvements in self regulation?

Last edited by Ocelot; 10/29/16 12:47 PM.