Problems of Self-Regulation in Children: A Longitudinal Case Study of a Child from Infancy to Adulthood

Abstract

Infants and children with problems of self-regulation are commonly seen in clinical practice. These are children with persistent problems in self-calming, mood regulation, feeding, sleep, and sensory hypersensitivities. The different types of regulatory disorders have been proposed to include children with hypersensitivities: fearful/cautious or negative and defiant type; under-reactive; and motorically disorganized. Preliminary studies conducted on infants and young children with moderate regulatory disorders suggest that most of these children have hypersensitivities and motor disorganization. They are also at risk for emotional and developmental disabilities as they develop over time. To date few studies have validated the different types of regulatory disorders and their impact on mental health and overall development. This paper reviews problems of self-regulation, the different types of regulatory disorders, and presents a detailed case of a child with the hypersensitive type of regulatory disorder spanning the course of infancy through early adulthood. The case description helps to provide validation of the proposed classification of the hypersensitive type of regulatory disorder, and also presents longitudinal data to support the evolution of symptoms in a child with moderate regulatory disorder from infancy to adulthood.