Tantrum, Meltdown, and Shutdown

😭 TANTRUMS, MELTDOWNS & SHUTDOWNS

💠 What is a tantrum?

😤 ▪️ A typical toddler tantrum refers to a sudden and intense outburst of emotions displayed by toddlers, typically between the ages of 1 and 3 years old (although with developmental delays, they can happen to older children as well). Tantrums are a normal part of child development and are often triggered by frustration, fatigue, hunger, or a desire for independence. ▪️ It’s important to remember that toddler tantrums are a normal part of their development and are not indicative of a behavioral problem. As toddlers grow and develop better communication and emotional regulation skills, tantrums tend to decrease in frequency and intensity. Patience, consistency, and providing appropriate guidance and boundaries can help toddlers navigate these challenging moments as they learn to manage their emotions.

💠 What is a meltdown?

🤯 ▪️ A meltdown refers to an intense, involuntary reaction or response to overwhelming sensory, emotional, or cognitive stimuli experienced by those on the Autism spectrum. They can vary in duration, intensity, and triggers from person to person. During a meltdown, a child may display behaviors such as crying, screaming, hitting oneself or objects, rocking back and forth, or exhibiting repetitive movements. They may also experience heightened anxiety and frustration.

💠 What can trigger a meltdown? ▪️ Just as each person on the spectrum is different, their triggers are different as well. Some common triggers for a meltdown are:

🔹 Sensory overload (bright lighting, strong smells, crowded places, loud noises)

🔹 Change of routine/ Lack of predictability

🔹 Difficulty with communication/ Challenges expressing themselves or understanding others 🔹 Trouble regulating or managing emotions

🔹 Transition from an activity or place

🔹 Social stressors (high level of demand or unfamiliarity, feeling misunderstood)

💠 What can you do?!

🤷‍♀️ ▪️ Oftentimes, when a child is having a meltdown, the caregiver can feel overwhelmed, scared, and helpless. There are some things to keep in mind if your child is having a meltdown as well as things that can reduce the frequency and/or severity of them.

👉 Stay calm. This creates a reassuring environment and helps to prevent any further escalation. Remember, our kiddos feed off of our energy.

👉 Ensure safety. Clear the immediate area of others and objects that could potentially harm the child.

👉 Check basic needs. Be sure to check that their basic needs have been met. This is especially important if your child is nonverbal or unable to communicate.

👉 Reduce stimuli. Minimize any sensory input that could be overwhelming (dimming lights, reducing noise, removing triggers relating to the meltdown).

👉 Use calming techniques. Use strategies to help the child relax such as providing a comfort item. Weighted blankets and compression vests can help.

👉 Offer reassurance. Speak in a calm and reassuring voice in order to let the child know they are safe and that you are there to support them. Avoid overwhelming them with questions or instructions during the meltdown.

👉 Respect personal boundaries. While some children welcome physical contact during a meltdown, others find it distressing. Respect the child’s personal preference.

👉 Create a safe space. Provide a quiet and comfortable space the child can retreat to during a meltdown. They can also utilize this space when they’re feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or upset to hopefully stop a potential meltdown.

👉 Recognize their triggers. Much of being able to lessen meltdowns is recognizing the triggers that lead up to one. Adjust the situation/environment accordingly in order to avoid triggers, thus reducing meltdowns.

👉 Ask for professional guidance. It can be very beneficial to consult with a professional who is experienced with children on the spectrum. They can help you develop coping strategies specific to your child.

💠 Keeping a Journal

📔 ▪️ By maintaining a consistent journal, you can gradually build an understanding of the triggers that lead to your child’s meltdowns specifically. This knowledge can empower you to make informed adjustments, implement preventative measures, and develop effective coping strategies to manage them more effectively.

💠 So is it a tantrum or a meltdown?

🤔 ▪️ Autistic toddlers have tantrums just as all toddlers do but there are a few signs that can clue you in as to what’s going on.

🚩 Tantrums are always goal-oriented. That means the child has something they’re trying to achieve, expressing feelings about something they cannot have or simple frustration from not getting what they want when they want it. Tantrums are more common in young children when they’re tired, sick, or hungry. On the other hand, Autistic meltdowns are all about being overwhelmed. When they are overloaded with emotion, sensory, unpredictability, or information, it can lead to behaviors that look similar to a typical toddler tantrum. (crying, yelling, aggressiveness, lashing out, etc)

🚩 Autistic meltdowns happen whether there’s an audience or not. They may have a meltdown in a room all by themselves. Tantrums require a caregiver to see them in order to achieve their goal and usually subside when they are either given what they want, removed from the physical space they’re in, or if the caregiver simply ignores the behavior.

🚩 The duration of the episode is also a telling sign of what the child is dealing with. Tantrums are generally shorter and less intense than meltdowns.

📢 💥 📢 Remember, meltdowns are an involuntary response that occurs when a child is unable to cope with or regulate their emotions and sensations effectively. They differ from tantrums and are not intentional acts of defiance or manipulation. A child should never be punished for a meltdown. Building a supportive and trusting relationship over time will assist in managing these challenging moments.

💠 What is a Shutdown?

🙅‍♀️ ▪️ A shutdown refers to a response or state in which individuals experience an overwhelming sensory or cognitive overload, leading to a temporary withdrawal or shutdown of their typical functioning. During a shutdown, the child may become non-responsive, have difficulty communicating or interacting, and may exhibit signs of distress or emotional dysregulation. ▪️ Shutdowns can vary in intensity and duration. Some children may experience partial shutdowns, where they withdraw from certain stimuli or activities, while others may have more severe shutdowns that result in a near-complete withdrawal from the environment. Shutdowns can manifest differently in each child. ▪️ The triggers for shutdowns can vary widely and may include sensory overload (loud noises, bright lights, crowded spaces), social stressors (overwhelming social interactions, communication difficulties), changes in routine, or other environmental factors.

💠 How can you help?!

🙋‍♀️ ▪️ Strategies to help reduce and avoid shutdowns are similar to the strategies we talked about for meltdowns.

👉 Provide a calm and supportive environment. This step is crucial & the most important in order for them to feel safe and understood.

👉 Reduce sensory stimuli. Turning down lights, reducing noise, and removing excessive stimulation around them can help greatly, especially if stimuli are a trigger.

👉 Comforting strategies. If they allow it, try deep compression hugs or a weighted blanket. Offer comfort items that typically aid in regulating them.

👉 Respect their space. Keep in mind, many children will not want any physical contact during a shutdown and it’s important to give them space until they come out of it.

👉 Avoid questions & instructions. You want to make sure you’re not adding an extra layer of stress to the situation by asking them questions or giving them instructions.

💠 Sensory Processing Difficulties

🧠 ▪️ Meltdowns and Shutdowns in children are often related to sensory processing difficulties. Sensory processing refers to how the brain receives, organizes, and responds to sensory information from the environment. For example, Autistic individuals can have atypical sensory processing, leading to sensory sensitivities or sensory-seeking behaviors. ▪️ Both meltdowns and shutdowns can occur when an individual’s sensory processing systems become overwhelmed, leading to difficulties in regulating emotions, behavior, and cognitive functioning. Sensory stimuli (either an excessive or insufficient amount) can play a significant role in triggering these responses.

👉 Creating sensory-friendly environments, offering sensory breaks, using calming techniques, and providing tools (like noise-canceling headphones or weighted blankets) can help regulate sensory input and reduce the likelihood of these intense responses.

👉 Occupational therapists and sensory integration strategies can also be valuable resources in addressing sensory challenges associated with meltdowns and shutdowns.

💠 Continue your research.

👩‍💻

▪️ All about tantrums. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/tantrums.html

▪️ All about meltdowns. https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/behaviour/meltdowns/all-audiences

▪️ All about shutdowns. https://autismawarenesscentre.com/shutdowns-stress-autism/ ▪️ Sensory Processing Disorder. https://childmind.org/article/sensory-processing-issues-explained/

▪️ Sensory activities and toy ideas. https://www.facebook.com/groups/403585854124106/permalink/714604403022248/?app=fbl