![]() ![]() I don’t like people to try to talk to my son when he is having a meltdown as I find this most unhelpful, I would prefer people to just leave him to me. Getting him outside helped to calm him down. Before she came along, lots of people just walked past staring at us. I accepted her offer of help and she carried my bags and also picked up my son’s shoes after he had thrown them as I was trying to get him down the stairs. My son was having a meltdown at the top of the escalator in M&S. ![]() ![]() I think the best response I’ve ever had is from a lovely lady who asked if I needed any help or if I would like her to carry my bags to help me to a safe place. Offer your help to make things easier for the caregiver You can help by calmly carrying out the requests. For example, he or she may ask for help in removing sensory triggers that might have caused the meltdown, for more space to help the person with autism calm down, or assistance to move dangerous objects away. Let the caregiver take the leadĪs mentioned, the caregiver has the greatest knowledge and should have some meltdown soothing strategies up his or her sleeve. Therefore, letting the caregiver know that he or she is supported and not being judged will help a lot. #Autism meltdown in adults how to#In fact, the caregiver has the greatest knowledge of how to handle the situation, not you.ĭo understand that a meltdown in a public place is a difficult situation for a caregiver. Last and not least, try not to act as though you know better by telling the caregiver what to do either, e.g. This will help the caregiver feel less alone and fearful about causing an inconvenience to the public. Secondly, try to catch the caregiver’s eyes, give him or her a reassuring smile and tell him or her that “It’s okay”. It would not be helpful if you just stand and stare at them or show any form of negative expression on your face (e.g. Be calm and kind in your responseįirstly, stay calm yourself. If a caregiver is nearby, he or she will most likely take steps to manage the meltdown. Neither the person with autism nor his or her caregiver should be blamed for the situation. They can happen at anytime and can be caused by a number of factors including: environmental stimuli, stress, uncertainty, rapid and impactful change and much more. Meltdowns are emotional avalanches that run their course whether you or the autistic person having it likes it or not. ![]() It doesn’t last long but once triggered, there’s no stopping it. It is the complete loss of emotional control experienced by an autistic person. It’s not a tantrum and it’s not something a small child does several times a day- unless of course that child is autistic. Here is how Ashlea McKay describes it in her article The M Word: We Need to Talk About Adult Autistic Meltdowns:Ī meltdown is not a word you use to describe a bad day. kicking, lashing out, biting) or in both ways. shouting, screaming, crying), physically (e.g. This loss of control can be expressed verbally (e.g. It happens when someone becomes completely overwhelmed by their current situation and temporarily loses behavioural control. an intense response to overwhelming situations. To start, let’s understand what a meltdown is. That is why it is important to understand that an autism meltdown is not bad, wilful or manipulative behaviour. If an adult is having a meltdown, we may find it scary and incomprehensible. If a child is having a meltdown, it is easy for us to judge and blame it on bad parenting. People often confuse an autism meltdown with a temper tantrum. Many children and adults with autism experience meltdowns*. Today, we will be answering this question from our friend, Tee Eng: What should I do if I see a stranger with autism having a meltdown? The Layman’s Guide to Autism provides simplified answers to real questions from laymen. At All In, we sometimes get interesting questions from the general public, like “Do people with autism understand sarcasm?” and “How can I tell if someone has cerebral palsy or autism?” ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |