De-escalation Techniques in Special Education

Approximately 66 percent of all school injuries are unintentionally caused by interactions with special education students. Bites, scratches, punches, and facial injuries, among others, can be minimized by wearing personal protective equipment. However, once a student engages in a behavior, prevention has passed, and it is important to minimize the injury by wearing personal protective equipment.  The goal is to prevent injuries by de-escalating a student before an injurious behavior occurs. How can this be accomplished?

Teachers and support staff know students well. It is important to train and remind staff that if a student appears dysregulated, they should use de-escalation techniques before a behavior that can cause an injury is manifested. The most effective de-escalation technique is the use of sensory, and it is critical that teachers have sensory resources available and understand how they are successfully used to regulate students’ behavior.

Ideally, school buildings should have a sensory room where students can engage in various sensory-based activities designed to calm and regulate a student. The use of tactile walls, compression canoes, swings, and tunnels, among other resources, is very effective. Having a variety of sensory resources in a room allows a student to gravitate toward a personal preference.  A mobile sensory cart is a great idea if a school building does not have dedicated sensory space.  This cart can be shared among classrooms. A plethora of smaller sensory items can also be used within a classroom.

A student’s favorite is weighted animals. For students who are often out of their seats, placing a weighted animal on their lap provides compression and tactile sensory that comes from an animal with movable sequins or crinkle paper within the material. Often, this is enough to regulate a student so that they remain seated, the lesson can be completed, and potential behaviors can be extinguished.

It is important to provide staff with sensory resources and engage them in professional development, so teachers understand how to use such resources to de-escalate students. Taking the time to model the use of sensory in a classroom is necessary.  Simply handing out resources will not work. Teachers must understand the purpose and the variety of ways sensory materials can be used with students.  I have seen many cases where teachers try something once and give up. Teachers must be persistent. I give the analogy of learning to play basketball. How many times does it take for a student to make their first basket? Many attempts and then the student builds the skill and gravitates towards the activity because they achieved success. The same can be applied to sensory integration in the classroom. The student may push sensory items away many times before selecting a preference and validating that the sensory is calming. Introducing a culture of sensory will be an investment of time and training.

Remember, the sensory equipment investment is paid back by fewer claims, lower premiums, and engaged and happier staff.