Why Your Child Rushes Through 5-Finger Breathing (& How to Fix It) | Pediatric OT Tips

Why is the 5-Finger Breathing Tool my absolute favorite? 🖐️✨ As a Pediatric OT, I love this tool because it grounds a child by combining three powerful sensory inputs at once: 1️⃣ Tactile (Touch): Light, mindful tracing engages the skin's receptors 2️⃣ Visual (Tracking): Watching the finger move up and down anchors their focus 3️⃣ Motor (Movement): The physical act of tracing gives their brain a concrete task to follow But here's the catch - focusing on all of this PLUS breathing can cause sensory overload for young kids, or those with Autism, ADHD, and other neurodivergent kids. There are too many steps to focus on, plan and execute AT ONCE, That's exactly why their brains rush to the easiest part: just tracing fast, no breath included. It's not that they aren't trying enough, their brain is just overloaded. In this video, I break down the exact 3-step method I use in real sessions to teach this tool without frustration, for both the child AND the parent. 🫧 Why start with bubbles or paper balls? The magic is in the EXHALE. A long, slow exhale directly stimulates the vagus nerve, which is the brain's built-in "calm down" button. It instantly shifts a child's nervous system from dysregulated to relaxed. 📖 Want more visual, step-by-step regulation tools designed for how your neurodivergent child's brain actually works? You'll find a whole toolkit like this in My Happy Calm Book. This book is filled with large visuals, fewer words of some selected calming tools which I have used in my practice and have proven effective again and again. It's a must have toolkit for every parent/.teacher/therapist who is looking for some easy, and effective calming tool. Grab your copy at the link below! 🔗 Get My Happy Calm Book: https://amzn.in/d/0fqGXUSY Have you tried this tool with your child? Let me know how it went in the comments and subscribe for more OT-approved calming tools every week! #PediatricOT #NeurodivergentKids #SensoryRegulation #AutismSupport #ADHDParenting #CalmDownTools #OccupationalTherapy #MyHappyCalmBook #5FingerBreathing #EmotionalRegulation #SpecialNeedsParenting