Meltdown Management: Strategies to Handle Meltdowns in Children with Autism and Special Needs

Meltdowns are a common occurrence in children with autism. Parents who have a child with autism are all too familiar with the feeling of dread that comes with the approach of a meltdown, and most, if not all, are searching for ways to prevent them. The good news is that there are some things you can do to reduce the number of meltdowns your child has. When your child goes into a meltdown, they are going through an emotional overload. It can be scary to watch. As you are going through this process, you will be tempted to try to fix it or stop the meltdown from happening, but you should resist this urge.Meltdowns are a form of acute stress that people on the spectrum exhibit when overwhelmed or over stimulated by too much noise or people or changes in the environment. This can happen at any point, but it is most common during moments of high activity or periods of high stress. Meltdown is also often accompanied by an increase in self-injurious behaviors, such as head banging or biting on