Calming Corner

Having a child who is going through emotional struggles makes you feel completely helpless. You want to fix all their problems but you're not even certain what the original issue is causing the emotional turmoil to begin with. There are many possible causes but trying to get any reasoning out of a 6 year old is unsuccessful at best. All we can do as parents is try to figure it out by trial and error because every child is different. Each family has a dynamic and specific circumstances that have ultimately shaped who they are and how the household is run. However, science does play a role in the base of the family foundation.

I am not exactly sure what is the root cause of my daughter's emotional and physical reaction to everyday situations. The mood in the house is sometimes like walking on eggshells to not disturb her emotional well-being. But, asking her to brush her teeth or put her dinner plate on the kitchen counter when finished, should not cause such a disruption and disturbance of an uncontrollable tantrum. What is the first step in figuring out this problem?

I have tried desperately to reach out to community resources for professional guidance. I was hoping to receive some kind of diagnosis so then we could start the process of working on these issues with the correct medical suggestions and treatment plan. We had an Occupational Therapy evaluation completed for sensory. I learned during our 1.5 hr session about easing the sensory overstimulation, a "calming corner". This is going to be a space made specifically for self soothing and bringing the internal emotional disturbance back down to zero. In this area there are a couple things that help with sensory overload to the brain and help guide your child back to a calm state of mind. Fuzzy materials, an emotion flip book, a fidget box, padded flooring, and to personalize maybe a favorite stuffy or blanket that brings comfort to the child. In addition a little library in there as well with books on regulating feelings, breathing techniques and yoga.