Tag Archives: autism and emergency responders

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Trix Are for Kids, Autism is Not (Only)

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When I first began my Autism Training for Emergency Responders journey, my presentation focused heavily on children with autism, as that was my personal experience. This, of course, is well needed, but with 50,000 autistic teens transitioning into adults each year (with very few resources to aid that transition), my teaching has expanded immensely. Especially knowing that people with autism are seven times more likely to interact with emergency responders.

I have two teenagers – 13 and 17 – on the autism spectrum. My daily contemplations and challenges have gone from, “Please stop climbing on that thing, we’re going to get thrown out!” to, “Am I providing enough support to teach you the life skills you need as a young adult?”

Additionally, my 13 year-old is seven inches taller than me, has a mustache, and wears men’s large clothing (when he wears clothing at all). Despite his level of comprehension and response in an emergency situation, his size alone would warrant him being treated like an adult on scene, which has the potential to go downhill very quickly.

In 2000, 1 in 166 children were diagnosed with a form of autism. That figure has been climbing ever since, as we are now looking at 1 in 68 (1 in 42 boys). Here in metro Atlanta, that’s one child on every school bus. 1 in 42 boys will grow up to be 1 in 42 men.

You do not “grow out of” autism. Sure, with the right support and tools you can learn coping skills and methods to help improve your day-to-day living. But autism doesn’t magically go away when you turn 21!

The Centers for Disease Control says that the number of adults living with autism is expected to climb by about 700 percent by 2030. From 1990, when adult stats were first taken, the number of adults being diagnosed with autism has nearly tripled.

This does not even include the number of parents who, after receiving an autism diagnosis for their child, came to the realization that they, too, have autism but were never diagnosed.

Recognizing Adults with Autism On Scene

Emergencies are stressful for everyone! An adult with autism may react in ways that appear odd or threatening to a responder. It can be more challenging to identify on scene, and responders can be caught off guard if someone goes from “having it all together” to a complete autism meltdown in a short amount of time.

Remember, we always treat the patient or victim, not the diagnosis. However, here are a few common traits or behaviors that might help you recognize that your patient or victim has autism.

Body language/facial expression challenges. Neurotypical people often easily express themselves, including verbal and non-verbal methods. Adults with autism have significant challenges when it comes to interpretation and displaying types of non-verbal communication. They have trouble maintaining eye contact, interpreting facial expressions, and using motions and gestures. Remember to use direct words that have only one meaning when communicating so there is less chance for misinterpretation.

Sensory Processing challenges. Individuals with autism have either extreme or inefficient sensitivity when it comes to stimuli. While some autistic adults have learned to cope with sensory issues in their daily routines, an emergency situation will involve a ton of new smells, sounds, input, and sights, and they may be unable to process these sensory details adequately. Remember to reduce sensory triggers if at all possible (e.g., turn off lights and sirens, remove unnecessary personnel).

Empathy challenges. Adults with autism struggle with showing shared sensitivity of feelings with others and have difficulty processing others’ perspectives. On scene, this could present as if someone is “cold” or doesn’t care about the outcome of a family member, or sometimes even themselves.

It is typically taught that people with autism are incapable of employing “theory of mind,” or, in other words, unable to imagine anyone else’s thoughts and feelings. Empathy is more complicated than that. There is cognitive empathy, the ability to read other people’s feelings, but there is also affective empathy, the ability to share other people’s feelings. Just because someone with autism may not have the social/cognitive skill to read someone else’s feelings doesn’t mean they can’t feel someone else’s pain. Do not assume that a person’s inability to interpret nonverbal cues means that they don’t care and lack empathy.

Verbal challenges. Up to 40% of adults with autism never learn to speak. If they are verbal, they may have trouble maintaining a conversation, expressing their needs, or processing thoughts appropriately. Remember to look for or provide alternative communication methods if possible (pen and paper, sign language, smart devices).

Uncommon preoccupations. Many people with autism are extremely knowledgeable about certain topics, such as aviation, engineering, word origins, video games, or old movies. They may demonstrate hyper-focus on a particular area of interest, while showing complete disinterest or inability to follow along with other topics. If you are having trouble completing your patient survey or interview, try to engage the person in the topic they are preoccupied with to start the conversation rolling. Once you have gained rapport, you can gradually “fold in” the questions you need answered.

Routine challenges. Routines and rituals are very important to people with autism. They help to maintain order and predictability in their daily lives. This can be a challenge on scene, as most emergencies are not part of a schedule! You may need to swiftly remove someone from a dangerous situation or separate them from their caregiver depending on the emergency. If the scene is safe, allow them to maintain as much of their routine as possible. When you cannot, take a minute first to explain to the person what is about to happen before you act.

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Autism Tips for Emergency Responders: Autism and Violence

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My extended family doesn’t know a great deal about autism. My children and I don’t live near my mother or stepmother, and autism wasn’t even on my radar when my father passed away in 2001. The majority of information they receive about autism is what they hear in the news and any personal stories I choose to share about day to day living as a single mom with two autistic teens.

A family member recently asked me, “How bad is Justin?”

“What do you mean?” I replied.

“I saw on the news that a boy with autism got angry and bit his grandmother’s finger off. Is he violent like that? I’m worried.”

Officers frequently ask during my autism trainings if people with autism are more likely to abuse alcohol and drugs and commit violent crimes.

These are all great questions; however thanks to the media an already grossly misunderstood community is now feared and shunned as one being predisposed for violence, and even murder. Case in point, the Sandy Hook School shooting in 2012, the 20-year old shooter was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome at age 13.

Did autism cause him to fatally shoot 20 children and 6 adult staff members?

No, it did not.

According to an article from Interactive Autism Network at Kennedy Krieger Institute,

“People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may have characteristics that could make them both more likely, and less likely, to break the law. On the one hand, they may have trouble with aggression, controlling strong emotions, and understanding other people’s perspectives. They may have challenging behaviors that could attract police attention. However, they also tend to find rules helpful, and laws are “simply social rules of a particular type” that they could be expected to follow.”

There are few case studies dealing with high-functioning autism and crime, and those in place are already biased, as the subjects studied were already in prison or a forensic hospital – they already had legal troubles. This indeed elicits a “chicken or the egg” argument, and cannot truly answer whether or not autism is a factor in violence and crimes. Studies would need to consider people throughout a community, not just those in jails, psychiatric hospitals or institutions.

It is my personal experience that most people with autism are good-natured, happy individuals that are focused on the “now” and typically like to follow rules, but are also wired to be who they are, unapologetically. There is no known evidence that autism causes violent criminal behavior.

Victims, Not Aggressors

 

The more likely scenario you will encounter? People with autism tend to be victims of crimes. Children with disabilities are about three times more likely to be the victims of abuse or neglect, and children with autism are bullied more often than other children.

Social and communication deficits may also place people with autism at a disadvantage when questioned by police. They may not be able to tell if an investigator is lying or manipulating them, resulting in potentially making a false confession. Officers that are not trained to recognize autism may also interpret lack of eye contact, vague answers are changing the subject as evidence of guilt, but these are typical autistic behaviors.

Impulses and Behavior Response

 

Autism Speaks also tells us that autism itself does not cause challenging behaviors. It is likely, however, that some of the underlying biological processes that result in autism might also result in behaviors that are outside of a person’s control—similar to how the tremors associated with Parkinson’s Disease are brought on by impulses that the person cannot direct. In addition, some behavioral responses are simply reflexes—no more of a choice than when your leg jerks upward when the doctor uses his hammer on your kneecap.

Autism aggression is less likely to result in violent behavior toward others; most often the automatic response to stressors (like emergencies) are repetitive or ritualistic – and sometimes self-injurious – behaviors that serve the purpose of self-calming.

Autism and Temperature Regulation

Autism Tips for Emergency Responders: Temperature Regulation

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Autism and Temperature RegulationIt often takes an Act of Congress to get my son to wear a coat in the winter. I used to think it was stubbornness or laziness that drove him to his refusal. Eventually I started to realize that he simply doesn’t feel the cold.

How can that be, when the thermometer says it’s freezing outside? Sure, most of you know we live in Atlanta, so you think the point is moot, but I assure you it gets cold here. We even upon occasion get some (gasp!) snow! Like the time the entire state shut down from a mere inch or two, but I digress…

Atlanta One Inch of Snow

What’s really going on is another part of the sensory processing challenges present in individuals with autism – temperature regulation. Many people with an ASD are unable to set their internal thermometer at a comfort zone and can feel hot all the time even in cold weather or cold all the time even when it is warm. As their nervous system is on high alert and blood leaves the extremities to deliver oxygen to internal organs and muscles, many suffer poor circulation and their hands and feet are always cold.

I found out this summer that it can work both ways. I always believed that not feeling cold simply meant that my son overly warm most of the time (as evidenced by his insistence on stripping down to his boxer briefs the second we come home from an event or outing). Unfortunately, his body is unable to regulate cold AND heat, which also means that he can’t feel that he’s getting dangerously sunburned or that he’s on the verge of dehydration or even heat exhaustion.

Some children with autism have anhidrosis, which is the inability to sweat. Parents and caregivers need to take special precautions to prevent a heat emergency in these cases, such as spraying the child’s skin with water when outside, doubling up on fluids, and careful monitoring of the child’s internal temperature.

The Science Behind Temperature Regulation Issues

Research states that there is a noticeable size difference in the hypothalamus between neurotypical and ASD children. The hypothalamus is an integral part of the interoceptive sense and regulates:

  • The release of 8 major hormones by the pituitary gland
  • Body temperature
  • Food and water intake, hunger and thirst
  • Sexual behavior and reproduction
  • Daily cycles in physiological state and behavior also known as circadian rhythm
  • Mediation of emotional responses

Thermoregulation difficulties often accompany Asperger’s, SPD, Autism, ADHD, and Sensory Processing Disorders. Effective behavioral control of temperature depends on both an intact sensory-motor system and an ability to communicate perceptions.

As you respond to calls related to weather or environmental emergencies, keep in mind that your patient (or witness or perpetrator) may not experience temperatures the same way you do.

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Weekly Autism Tips for Emergency Responders: Co-existing Conditions

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Children with an autism diagnosis often have more concurrent medical and psychological or mental health conditions than their non-autistic counterparts. Because of this, they are also more likely to use EMS and healthcare services.

Learning to recognize the signs and behaviors of autism in a patient can be challenging enough; adding medical complications to the mix can further complicate the call. Approximately one third of patients with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have seizures.

According to a guest post on AutismSpeaks.org by epidemiologist Laura Schieve, Ph.D., at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, her study concluded that children with autism, ADHD or other developmental delays were:

  • 8 times more likely than children without developmental disabilities to have ever had an asthma diagnosis,

    6 times more likely to have had eczema or a skin allergy during the past year,

    8 times more likely to have had a food allergy during the past year,

    2 times more likely to have had frequent severe headaches or migraines during the past year, and

    5 times more likely to have had frequent diarrhea or colitis during the past year.

    Children with autism were twice as likely as children with ADHD or other delays to have had frequent diarrhea or colitis during the past year and were seven times more likely to have experienced these gastrointestinal problems than were children without any developmental disability.

Other co-existing conditions commonly found with autism are tic disorders, like Tourette Syndrome, Attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder (ADHD), Obsessive/compulsive disorder (OCD), sleep disorders and mood disorders.

Obesity is another common issue, mostly due to poor trunk development, picky eating habits and decreased physical activity.

Medications, Pain Management and Field Impression

When in the field, be aware that standard dosages of medication for pain control may be ineffective for patients with autism. Be careful when relying on “outcome-based” pain management, as higher dosing may result in unintentional overdose.

Your patient with autism may also exhibit uncommon side effects or adverse reactions to routine drugs, and they may be on uncommon medications that may have interaction with drugs given in the pre-hospital setting.

Remember that it is not your job to diagnose an autism spectrum disorder or try to differentiate it from other conditions. The goal of learning to identify autism is solely to form a working impression that will help you use more appropriate assessment and treatment strategies. As always, you should treat the patient, not the diagnosis.

You should also always consider that there is a medical reason for the behavior, as stroke, brain injury, seizures and hypoglycemia may present with similar signs and behaviors. DO NOT IGNORE LIFE-THREATS just because your patient has autism or you suspect they do.

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Event First Aid: The Distraction Technique and Autism

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32270_10150161038395184_1381207_nAs an auxiliary first responder who works first aid booths at community events like airshows, parades, road races, festivals and the like and an adult with Asperger’s, I have discovered some good techniques to aid me in my duties when I am providing first aid for a person and/or child with or without special needs such as Autism.

One technique I love to use is distraction. Distracting an individual helps to interrupt the neurological process that allows a person to feel and know what is happening to them at the current time. We all know when working in public safety we work in pairs for safety, camaraderie, and and other reasons. We are going to add another reason to work in pairs, especially when responding to an Autistic individual who needs medical attention. That reason is for one responder to provide treatment while the other distracts the injured individual with things such as conversation about the patient’s favorite subject, a toy such as a stuffed animal or metal slinky, or even blowing up a nitrile glove like a balloon and drawing on it. Remember that whatever items you use needs to be age appropriate and safe for the child.

Another situation I have encountered is lost individuals. When an individual such as a child or person with Autism, who sometimes cannot communicate or care for themselves, becomes separated from a family member they are usually brought to the first aid room which doubles as the lost and found room. This is so we as first responders can watch over and care for them until their caregiver is found and are reunited. This may take time so you need to have some ways to occupy an individual that may have Autism or similar issues. Some items you may want to keep are crayons and paper, Play-dough, coloring books, and a deck of cards. These items can be used as distraction until the individual is reunited with their family or caregiver. So to recap our new tools and items that we can use with the distraction technique are:

  • Conversation about patient’s favorite topic or obsession
  • Stuffed animal
  • Slinky
  • Crayons with paper
  • Coloring book
  • Play-dough
  • Deck of cards

I hope these tools and ideas will help you in your future response to an individual in need at an event or large gathering.

Austin is a certified and experienced Skywarn Storm Spotter, Ham radio operator, 11232116_10155647656030184_4068160658730913034_nCommunity Emergency Response Team Instructor.  He is currently pursuing a degree in Criminal Justice at Gwinnett Technical College and hopes to one day pursue an EMT certification and certification as a State of Georgia Emergency Manager. He brings a wealth of knowledge to Spirit of Autism with years of research and experience in emergency preparedness and as an adult with Autism.

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Weekly Autism Tips for Emergency Responders: If I Need Help

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QR Code

My son wearing his unique QR code at the Chamblee fireworks in 2014.

My boy is a wanderer. After having a girl first, one that was nearly always attached to my side, I was not prepared for the terror of repeatedly having a child go missing in the blink of an eye.

Now he’s 13 years old, 7″ taller than me and weighs 210 pounds. He doesn’t wander often. In fact, I can’t seem to get him to wander… away from his computer, that is ;) However, we are still prepared; despite the repetition of safety-based social stories and the fact that he prefers to stay in his room… there is always a chance he will impulsively go seek something outside and get caught up in it until he’s no longer sure where he is. There are also large events that we sometimes venture out to, when the odds are stacked in our favor and we have all our tools to make it a successful outing, that breed great opportunities for him to be lost in the crowd.

My son is verbal, but when something happens to him that deviates at all from his normal routine, he shuts down. He knows his name, address, and phone number, but when he’s in distress all he can process is what’s happening to him at that moment. He doesn’t think through asking critical questions or seeking help, he either shuts down exactly where he is or he goes. Like Forrest Gump goes – no idea where he’s going or what or who he’s trying to reach, he just goes.

So how would you respond to a 210-pound, stocky man child (that sometimes wears diapers because of crippling digestive and bowel issues) that cannot tell you his name, where he lives or what’s wrong?

In our case, you could scan him! (What?)

As a parent, I have researched myriad IDs and tracking devices for my child. I’m glad to see so many options available now – so many other parents stepping up to the plate and inventing products to keep their children safe. My son has extreme sensory issues (and I mentioned he’s a 13-year old boy)… he rarely keeps CLOTHES on. A clunky tracking device on him would not be there long.

If I Need Help has saved our bacon on more than one occasion! First of all, the creators are super cool, funny and awesome parents who, like many others, had a dire need to keep their own child safe. Secondly, the QR code patches and clothing were easily tolerated by my son! He actually loves the idea of having his own unique “code” and wears it with pride.

Butch in the Tub

“I’m safe in here, right, Mom?”

We didn’t make it to fireworks this year. The ones that went off in our neighborhood ALL DAY really put him into a bad sensory state. Together, with our terrified, Thundershirt-clad husky seeking shelter in the tub, we focused on calming routines instead of venturing out to the city’s festivities. ‘Twas quite a night. Last year, however, we went to the City of Chamblee fireworks and had a great time! Donning his QR code on a Minecraft shirt, our first stop at the festival was the police tent, where I introduced my son, explained he was Autistic, and told officers if they spotted him anywhere without me, they should scan his code with their smartphone. The QR code gives instant access to my son’s emergency information, I am able to change anything in his profile REAL TIME based on the scenario, and the entire thing can be emailed to searchers if he went missing. It is his unique ID, a way for him to communicate when he isn’t able.

One time, he was playing with the hose in our front yard and his sister apparently told him to get lost. Being literal like he is, he did just that. In the blink of an eye he was gone – no shirt, no shoes and soaking wet. It took a neighborhood search party, DeKalb PD and a lot of faith that day, but I got my son back safely.

He wasn’t wearing a shirt, so how could the QR code have helped? If I Need Help has some NEW products – they now have custom Dog Tags and ID cards that have the name, number and additional info printed on them along with the QR code.  People who are more independent like these, but they are also good for people who do not keep their shirts on. 

QuickStartGuideWithBlurb

If I Need Help Quick-start Guide

With the free sign up you can create a profile, edit it live in real time, send the profile to other caregivers, and print out your own code. Many people are printing their codes, laminating them and taping or glueing them to their phones, devices or anything else they keep with them regularly.

If you’ve taken my Autism training course, you already know some signs and behaviors that will help you identify that someone may need help. Keep your eyes open for anyone wearing or holding a QR code on their person and don’t be afraid to SCAN IT! You may just be saving a life.
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Weekly Autism Tips for Emergency Responders: Drawn to Water

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2015-06-24 12.50.17In my Autism Training courses I teach parents and emergency responders to search water first if a person with Autism goes missing. This includes rivers, pools, lakes, ponds, and even fountains. 91% of deaths of children with Autism are due to drowning.

These are scary statistics. I have a wanderer. When he was three we went to visit family in Florida and he figured out how to unlock all the doors and gates that led to the pool in the back yard. In a flash he was gone and in the water.

My son used to spend hours in the tub and could often be found playing with the hose in the front yard. Toddler time at the neighborhood pool always consisted of him trying to break free of my arms and just GO. It didn’t matter where he was going, he just had to go. Slippery babies are hard to contain as it is!

So, yes, I know that children with Autism are often drawn to pools and other bodies of water. But why? Experts said they find them beautiful and are fascinated by the way light sparkles on the water.

The Autism Society of the Heartland’s Executive Director offers that, “Water is a fixation for them because when they get in the water, it’s like a big hug and it wraps around them. And it can relax them and help with some of those sensory issues that they might have.”

That is consistent with the feedback I hear from many families and children I have worked with, including my own child. It is a soothing escape from the whirlwind of sensory input that often overwhelms them. Unfortunately, an Autistic child’s fascination with water is typically coupled with no sense of fear or perception of danger and can end tragically in the blink of an eye.

As parents, we do our best to protect our children – being prepared for emergencies, knowing the lay of the land and all bodies of water surrounding home and school, installing additional locks and alarms at home on doors and windows, and of course, seeking swimming lessons.

As responders, you don’t know how involved and tenacious parents and caregivers are. You don’t know what precautions are in place and if they’ve been bested by a clever and curious child. All you know is there is a child (or adult) missing.

The National Autism Association states the following information for first responders:

  • Nearly half of children with autism engage in wandering behavior
  • Increased risks are associated with autism severity
  • More than one third of children with autism who wander/elope are never or rarely able to communicate their name, address, or phone number
  • Accidental drowning accounts for approximately 91% of lethal outcomes
  • Other dangers include dehydration; heat stroke; hypothermia; traffic injuries; falls; physical restraint; encounters with strangers

Because many individuals with ASD go directly to water, it’s important to treat each case as CRITICAL. Remember that every person with Autism is different, so utilize input from the child or adult’s immediate caregiver and keep search efforts ongoing. Some children with autism have survived as many as six days without adequate food or water.

ICE4Autism Home Screen

Weekly Autism Tips for Emergency Responders: ICE4Autism Interview

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I’m so excited to have connected with Wanda Refaely, creator of ICE4Autism, the only Autism-Specific In Case of Emergency (ICE) App. This awesome app provides first responders and medical personnel with actionable information quickly and effectively.

For families,

it’s a fantastic way to be prepared for situations that we never think will happen but, in reality, could. Some features include:

  • How you communicate — includes a drop down menu of commonly used communication devices and languages, and a place to describe how you communicate and want to be communicated with

  • Your unique behaviors and triggers —  includes a drop down menu listing behaviors commonly associated with autism PLUS the option to enter your own details including telling first responders and medical staff how best to  respond to make YOU more comfortable

  • Important Treatment Information — describe any issues, concerns and sensitivities that could be vital to YOUR proper care and overall comfort level AND describe ways to reduce your anxiety

ICE4Autism can also send an emergency alert text message —  including your GPS location and a link to your location pinned on Google Maps — to your designated emergency contacts. Parents, spouses, caregivers and service providers can come to your side, advocate for you and help you through the ordeal.

For responders,

simply launch the ICE4Autism mobile app and you as a first responder, ER doctor, nurse or administrator have immediate access to the critical the information needed to treat the patient properly while helping to reduce what is sure to be a heightened level of anxiety.

Emergency situations are challenging for everyone. But add in sensory, communication and behavioral challenges, and an emergency can turn into a disaster for a person with Autism and the responders trying to help them.

Below is the video interview I did with Wanda, as well as the screen shots she mentioned in the broadcast. Please feel free to like and share the video, you’ll help more people be prepared for emergencies!

ICE4Autism My Autism

ICE4Autism Home Screen

Tantrum vs meltdown

Weekly Autism Tips for Emergency Responders – Sensory Meltdown Vs. Tantrum

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Tantrum vs meltdownHey, Spirit of Autism family! I appreciate your patience regarding the fact that I’ve not been able to keep the Blog up to date while finishing Advanced EMT school. It’s been quite a ride but I’m nearly there! I can see a light (or is it flashing lights?) at the end of the tunnel…

I’m going to be transitioning the Blog to focus more on Autism Training Tips for Emergency Responders, Autism Safety Tips (for families and responders alike) and Emergency Preparedness for Autism Households. Previously the focus was on parents and caregivers only, which made it very confusing for those landing on my website, seeing that I do training for emergency responders, but solely reading about my journey as a parent. I will still be sharing lots of stories and personal experiences and of course adding my experiences and perspective as a parent – how could I not? My main focus, however, is to get critical information into the hands of emergency responders that have not yet taken my training course. To do this, I need to start offering it here.

If you have friends and family members in public safety, healthcare security, disaster response, or similar fields, please point them to the website! I want to go beyond local training efforts and start making a global difference.

So, the first in the Weekly Autism Tips for Emergency Responders [W.A.T.E.R.] series is… (sound the horns)…

Sensory Meltdown Vs. Tantrum

When I introduce my course objectives to class recipients, I talk about the definition of Autism, starting with what Autism is NOT. It is not a mental illness and it is not a behavior issue. At this point, students typically turn their heads and look at each other questioningly, as if I’m speaking Swahili. If I had a nickel for every time my son’s inability to cope with an overwhelming sensory environment was labeled a temper tantrum or behavior disorder. And I’m not just talking bystanders, this has happened with Special Ed teachers and pediatric neurologists.

I am a single mom. I’m not going to sit here and tell you that my child has never had a tantrum or behavioral outburst. He’s a BOY. With lots of ENERGY. Going through PUBERTY. Of course there have been times he’s tested those in authority. That’s what teenagers do.

Even knowing all I do about Sensory Processing issues, it is still a fine line to walk when discerning a sensory meltdown and an actual tantrum. I want to help arm you with some real, tangible signs and symptoms to help you tell the difference. Recognizing the physiological differences may change your response and radically alter the outcome of a situation. I’m not ever going to tell you to go against your local protocol or training and put yourself in danger. I’m talking about some really good scene size-up tools to help you respond in the safest way possible for all parties.

Signs and Symptoms of both a Tantrum and Meltdown

If you are just looking at the surface, it is challenging to tell what’s going on – the signs of both tantrums and meltdowns may present as screaming, kicking, shouting, stomping, swearing, biting, throwing, or hitting (either others or self-injurious behavior). Let’s go a little deeper:

A Tantrum typically occurs when a person wants something

A Meltdown is a response to environmental sensory overload or feeling extremely overwhelmed

During a Tantrum the person frequently checks to make sure you are paying attention to their behavior

During a Meltdown the person does not care if anyone is paying attention, they cannot stop themselves

A person acts this way in front of an audience during a Tantrum (behavior will cease when no one is looking)

During a Meltdown the behavior will continue with or without an audience

A Tantrum will cease abruptly once the person gets what they want

In a Meltdown situation, there is no goal – the behavior will cease only when the person can self-calm or when someone helps them regain control

In a Tantrum, there are no residual autonomic nervous system signs following the behavior; the person returns to normal activity within 5 minutes

A Meltdown will yield residual symptoms such as red ears, sweating, and dialated pupils; it takes 45-60 minutes for a person to return to normal following a sensory meltdown

Remember that someone experiencing a sensory meltdown is in survival mode – they are battling their environment and it is pure physical and psychological torture. Their senses are on fire and they have little control over themselves. No one chooses to be in a meltdown, and when you understand what’s happening to the nervous system and help someone through it your are not “giving in to” or “reinforcing” negative behavior. You are throwing someone a LIFELINE.

Stay tuned for future tips to learn more about Sensory Meltdowns and how you can most safely intervene.