What to Do in an Autistic Meltdown?

From time to time, nearly every child will experience some sort of meltdown. They may throw a tantrum when they don’t get something they want, or when they’re hungry, tired or feeling overwhelmed.

These meltdowns tend to occur more frequently in children who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD). As a result of their neurodevelopmental disorder, children often face deficits in social interactions and communication skills, while also experiencing sensory sensitivities.

All of this can result in the child feeling overwhelmed, stressed and/or anxious. And since many children with autism struggle to identify, process and communicate their feelings and emotions, all of that can come out in the form of a meltdown.

Parents of children on the autism spectrum — as well as other family members and caregivers such as teachers — may feel lost as to what to do if their child is having a meltdown. Here are some of the reasons why your child may be having a meltdown and what you can do to best support them.

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Why Do Children with Autism Have Meltdowns?

As mentioned, children with ASD often face struggles with sensory sensitivities, social interactions and communication. Because of this, they can feel stressed, anxious and overwhelmed quite easily — since they may not be able to properly process the world around them and how to react to it.

When children are having a meltdown, it’s their way of expressing how they’re feeling. They may not be able to communicate in appropriate ways that they are hungry or feeling overwhelmed. Instead of telling you that they would like some food, for example, they may throw a tantrum if you don’t get them what they need or want.

In many cases, children with autism have a meltdown if they’re in a situation in which there’s “high demand,” such as a social situation that causes misunderstandings or social anxiety, an environment with sensory overload such as too much light or noise, unpredictable and/or new environments or changes to their normal routine, situations that are full of emotion, or having a basic need such as being tired or hungry.

At times, the situation may not seem like a big deal to neurotypical individuals, but it can easily trigger a child with autism to have a meltdown.

What Does My Child’s Meltdown Mean?

The most important thing for parents, caregivers and others who support children with autism to recognize is that the child’s meltdown isn’t deliberate. As mentioned, autistic meltdowns occur when a child is feeling overwhelmed.

When they are going through that feeling, it is very hard for them to properly process how they’re feeling, why they’re feeling it and appropriate ways to respond. As a result, they have a meltdown that could exhibit itself verbally, physically or both.

Children on the autism spectrum often will display warning signs before they have a full autistic meltdown. These distress signs could be anything from shaking and sweating, to pacing back and forth and asking a lot of questions.

When children with ASD are about to have a meltdown, they often will have trouble masking their autism symptoms. They may engage in more self-stimulatory behaviors to try to calm themselves down, but may not be able to control it.

How Can You Best Support a Child Who Has a Meltdown?

Parents, caregivers and others play an important role in the outcome of an autistic meltdown. Reacting negatively — either by getting angry, upset or showing frustration — only adds to the child’s stress, which can exacerbate the situation even more.

Do your best to avoid these reactions and not judge the child. Remember that the meltdown is out of their control and that they’re just trying to deal with their feelings.

Always let them know that you’re there for them and that you want to help. At the same time, try not to tell them what to do, ask them a lot of questions or provide them with a lot of information while they’re having a meltdown.

Many children who are experiencing an autistic meltdown just need some time and space so they can recover on their own. A good thing you can do is provide them with a safe, quiet and calm environment in which they can do that.

At home, you could set up such a space where they can go when they’re feeling overwhelmed and/or having an autistic meltdown. If you’re outside the home, take them to a quiet space away from others and provide them with a sensory toy or object that will help them redirect their energy.

Understanding some of the triggers to your child’s autistic meltdowns is important, too, so that you can predict certain situations that might cause a meltdown. Having this information will enable you to avoid those situations when possible, or at least be prepared for how you can support your child if the situations can’t be avoided.

Blue Gems ABA Helps Support Children with ASD in All Ways

Children with ASD tend to experience meltdowns more than their neurotypical peers. A number of factors contribute to this, such as the challenges they face with social interactions, communication and sensory sensitivities.

At Blue Gems ABA, we support children on the autism spectrum in every way we can. We administer applied behavior analysis, or ABA therapy, helping children learn new skills and modify their behaviors.

Over time, we can help identify some of the triggers to an autistic meltdown, and equip parents with the knowledge, tools and strategies they need to help support their children the best.

To learn more, please contact us today.