Full-Tilt Parenting: Strategies, Insights, and Connection for Parents Raising Neurodivergent Children TPP 421: A Bonus Conversation with Dr. Stuart Shanker about Self-Regulation and Helping Our Children Successfully Engage with Life
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Dec 31, 2024 Dr. Stuart Shanker, a leading expert in self-regulation, discusses the alarming rise in anxiety among children, particularly neurodivergent ones. He identifies three main causes of this anxiety epidemic, including maladaptive self-regulation and oxytocin deficits. Shanker offers insightful strategies like using soothing voices and weighted blankets for touch-averse kids. He explains how parents can recognize stress signals and the importance of their own self-regulation. Ultimately, he emphasizes that fostering joy for children is paramount over adhering to parental expectations.
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Experiment To Find Calming Touch Alternatives
- Try different kinds of touch and sensory supports to discover what calms a touch-averse child.
- Combine preferred pressure or scratching with being physically present and a soft voice to co-regulate effectively.
Stress Defined As Energy Burned To Maintain Homeostasis
- A 'stress' is any stimulus that triggers a physiological energy-consuming response to maintain homeostasis.
- Signs include raised heart rate, faster breathing, muscle tension, pale face, voice change, and pupil dilation.
Test Stressors By Removing Them
- If you suspect a stressor, remove it and watch for relaxation signs like color returning and body loosening.
- Use simple, reversible tests to confirm what truly stresses your child.
