ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on self-regulation and its connection to sensory problems. It explains what self-regulation is and why it is so important for every child, but especially for the sensory child. It focuses on the author’s research which outlines four basic developmental steps, or Early Self-Regulation Milestones’, the achievement of which is critical in the first three years of life. The authors demonstrate how a child’s tactile and sensory problems can interfere with reaching these foundational milestones. When that occurs, it can lead to problems with the regulation of emotions and behavior that can cascade into social and learning problems. Finally, the chapter focuses on how the at-home, parent-delivered QST technique, in a parent’s hands, can help their child reclaim those capacities for self-regulation and resume the path to healthier development.
