If you are a parent of a child with autism spectrum disorder, you are familiar with meltdowns. Many parents and caregivers find it challenging to navigate through these stressful episodes and support their children. There’s not much you can do to calm your child during a meltdown, leaving you feeling helpless.
What triggers a meltdown? Meltdowns usually happen when an overstimulating trigger is perceived as overwhelming. It impacts the child’s ability to control his actions. This intense response to an overwhelming situation can look like an inability to control verbal expressions (crying or screaming) or physical movements (kicking or biting).
It might be difficult, however, to differentiate between autism meltdowns and temper tantrums. Children with autism can also have temper tantrums, so it’s essential to see the differences. Temper tantrums happen in front of other people, while meltdowns can occur without an audience. If you ignore a child during a tantrum, the behavior will most likely stop immediately. And tantrums have a goal behind them, especially when the child wants something. Meltdowns are not goal-oriented. While tantrums occur during childhood and adolescence, meltdowns occur at any age.
To differentiate between tantrums and meltdowns, you need to understand what triggers this behavior:
- Anxiety is a leading cause of meltdowns and can easily trigger meltdowns.
- The symptoms associated with ADHD, like the inability to focus or tolerate boredom, can make the child prone to outbursts.
- Learning disorders can trigger frustrating experiences.
- Sensory problems are the most common symptom of individuals on the spectrum. Loud noises, crowded places, or certain fabrics can trigger a loss of control.
Luckily, some strategies can help reduce the magnitude of the event and keep your child safe. By working with the child to regulate his emotions, you can teach him to calm down independently. The most important thing to remember is not to punish your child for his behavior. With patience, you can overcome anything.
