![]() Never throw him to the ground for any reason as he will continue struggling for hours against you which could harm him and others. So talk quietly and move slowly towards the autistic child. This autistic child may see YOU as a threat and respond in kind. Methods used to calm down an autistic child during a meltdown can be used in schools, daycares, in the community, and at home. There are basics which can help you defuse autistic meltdowns quickly and much calmer, if you know them by heart. How you handle each meltdown an autistic child has pretty much depends on the child and the surroundings. How to Respond Effectively to Shorten an Autistic Child’s Meltdown If your child has sensory issues, bring along a weighted blanket or vest. Bring a few familiar toys, gadgets, or calming objects your child is comfortable with. This is the best way to cope with a child who has become completely overwhelmed. Sugar and carbohydrates seem to increase anxiety if a child is on the autism spectrum.īe ready to remove your child from a situation whenever necessary. If you believe a gluten-free/casein-free diet is too extreme for your child, still consider limiting the amount of sugar in his or her diet. To learn more about a Gluten-Free/Casein-Free Diet, go Make a list of things going on before your child’s behavior took a turn for the worse and see if you can detect a pattern.Ī Gluten-Free/Casein-Free diet and various biomedical treatments over time may result in a lessening of meltdown tendencies. When triggers not so obvious, your best option is to look for factors that resulted in your child’s meltdown. Some triggers are more difficult to identify. To evaluate brands of noise-cancelling headphones, go here: Noise cancelling headphones eliminate auditory input and prevent sensory overload, which can exacerbate your child’s meltdown. You can also have soothing objects inside such as a bean-bag, soft blanket, a favorite book, etc.To purchase an affordable pop-up-tent, go here: To purchase an affordable weighted blanket, go here: Ī pop-up tent can be effective in easing your child by providing alone time. ![]() Therapeutic blankets are weighted to provide proprioceptive (awareness of one’s body position in space) input to the body. Massages and weighted blankets can be used to ease your child back into a calm state. This will continue toĮncourage your child to relax and mellow out. Seek a relaxing environmentĪs your child begins to calm down, provide positive verbal reinforcements. You don’t want to deal with another meltdown, so keep yourself calm. ![]() That will make your child laugh or distract him or her from the current situation. Identified what triggers the meltdown, avoid them completely if possible.ĭivert your child’s attention elsewhere! Sing a song, take a walk, or make a funny face – anything With time, it will become easier to identify what triggers your child’s meltdowns. Too much stress, and the boiling point can be reached.Ĭombine long term stressors of sensory overload and social challenges, along with all the regular hassles that make up daily living, it’s not surprising that individuals on the spectrum may “lose it” over seemingly small situations. Of course, each person is unique, so they may experience more or less of this social confusion, but the stress can take it’s toll over the course of the day. Individuals on the autism spectrum meet with stressful social encounters on a regular basis. Screaming, rage and yelling in public – it can all happen when the senses get into a kind of traffic jam. It can be any number of things too much input leads to meltdowns. Some individuals are affected by noise, others by smells, textures, or even lights. Some things that may cause a meltdown are: Strategies to consider include distraction, diversion, helping the person use calming strategies such as fiddle toys or listening to music, removing any potential triggers, and staying calm yourself. They may start to exhibit signs of anxiety such as pacing, seek reassurance through repetitive questioning or physical signs such as rocking or becoming very still.Īt this stage, there may still be a chance to prevent a meltdown. Many people will show signs of distress before having a meltdown, which is sometimes referred to as the “rumble stage”. When a person is completely overwhelmed, and their condition means it is difficult to express that in another way, it is understandable that the result is a meltdown. It happens when someone becomes completely overwhelmed by their current situation and temporarily loses control of their behaviour. This loss of control can be expressed verbally (eg shouting, screaming, crying), physically (eg kicking, lashing out, biting) or in both ways.Ī meltdown is not the same as a temper tantrum. A meltdown is an intense response to an overwhelming situation.
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