Meltdown

A meltdown is a behavior that happens to autistic people when they are overwhelmed, overstimulated, or feeling other strong emotions. It is very important to note that a meltdown is not a tantrum. The differences are listed below:

Meltdown:

• Involuntary
• Not the autistic person's fault
• Due to emotional or sensory reasons
• Common for some autistic people (others may experience shutdowns instead)
• May be unaware of what is going on around them
• May be cognitive dysfunction*
• The person is not likely to have capacity at this time*

Tantrum:

• Due to someone wanting something they cannot have
• (Uncontrolled) outburst of anger
• Common for younger children
• The person or child will occasionally check other's reactions to see if the tantrum is working
• An autistic person is more likely to experience an autistic meltdown than a tantrum

Autistic Meltdowns can look very different for each individual. Please ask what a meltdown looks like for the individual

Autistic Meltdowns can't be "cured" or "treated", but developing a care plan or prevention plan with the person can be helpful for some.

See also

• Managing Meltdowns - Deborah Lipsky*