When it comes to supporting autistic individuals, Jane says that it’s important to remember that there’s no one singular trigger for a meltdown. “It’s an emotional response that you have to ride out.” “You can only try to manage and regulate it in the moment and support us during the recovery afterward,” says Jane. While an autism meltdown can’t really be controlled, there are strategies that may help diffuse the emotional response. It’s understandable that you’d want to support someone when they’re visibly upset. Supporting an autistic person during a meltdown “It’s really important to understand the difference because meltdowns are never a voluntary choice within our control, and how you respond to a meltdown versus a tantrum is very different.” “Tantrums are often related to a ‘want,’ while meltdowns are related to a trigger,” Jane explains. On the other hand, autism meltdowns aren’t limited to children - anyone with autism can become overstimulated and experience a meltdown.Īdditionally, tantrums are generally goal-oriented. Though neurotypical adults may experience emotional outbursts similar to temper tantrums, generally speaking, “tantrums” are far more common in children. Still, there’s a key difference between the two.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |