At Bethelxafe Autism Foundation, we teach parents and caregivers that before a child can regulate their emotions, they often need a calm adult to guide them. This is called co regulation, the process where your steady, gentle presence helps an overwhelmed autistic child return to emotional balance.
Many autistic children experience overload when faced with too much noise, pressure, or instruction. What looks like stubbornness is usually a stressed nervous system. Co regulation does not mean pampering. It is an essential step that teaches safety through experience.
How to Practice Co Regulation
- Lower your voice.
- Reduce background noise.
- Move slowly and gently.
- Offer grounding options like deep pressure or slow counting.
- Use a quiet space to reset.
Your calm becomes the child’s anchor. Over time, they internalize that stability and learn to self regulate more confidently.