of course every child will have a hissy fit at several points during childhood, so i think it's more important to keep them under control during the hissy fits to keep them from embarssing themselves even more. but keeping the child in control to lessen the hissy fits will help.
i think it is more important to prevent the meltdown in the first place-thus,the behavioral problem does not occur!
Definitely preventing the meltdown. My theory is that a meltdown results from a sensory overload - which includes distress of course.
I always get upset when someone is threatening me or being extremely mean or violent towards me. I think it's just instinctual defense, but it could also be triggered due to because my father verbally abused me all of my growing up, and I need to be defensive.
Even if I'd get upset when someone died, if I was at school, they'd call it a meltdown and I would be scolded profusely by the principal, which only scared me more.
These meltdowns are what caused me to start self injuring several years ago, and I believe that they could have been prevented were the teachers and my father less aggressive and violent towards me.
I've had teachers call me worthless, stupid, ***, "that stupid autistic girl", and things far worse that I don't want to mention.
I don't believe that meltdowns specifically correlate with asperger's or autism, but that they are just more easily triggered by people who are afflicted.
I almost had a meltdown today.
Everyone started shouting my name at me as though I was supposed to act histrionic like them and play along.
That a meltdown should be prevented... this is because the other actions that happen, happen because of a meltdown but of course a meltdown can mostly only be prevented through the help of those close to the one(s) who are experiencing it.
How about this then - The Aspie doesn't want to go to the toilet because it disrupts one's routine? They'd rather be doing something else? That can certainly cause a meltdown in more serious cases.
What is it that is the most important to focus to prevent?
• That the child experience a meltdown
• That the child acts inappropriatily when experiencing a meldown
*wonders what AFF members will respond*
Both. Of course if people can work on controlling their behaviour, it can lessen the discomfort somewhat of having a meltdown in the first place. (The same way that phobics learn to lessen anxiety by controlling the symptoms of panic attacks.)
Umm... My theory, children (and sometimes adults) -- even NT children, and including the so called "terrible twos" -- don't throw tantrums because they are bad, but rather because it is often difficult to express certain levels of stress. At such times, it's instinctive to kick and scream.
...Or something.
How about this then - The Aspie doesn't want to go to the toilet because it disrupts one's routine? They'd rather be doing something else? That can certainly cause a meltdown in more serious cases.
Maybe it should be allowed for as part of their routine. Then there wouldn't be such a problem.
But what if the child wants nothing to do with it? They want to do something else - NOW! That's the way routine can work for ASD people who have one pretty badly.
But they still need to learn sometime. They can't go around pooping their pants when they are older or schools won't take them.
I know, but my point needs to be taken into account - it looked to me like it wasn't.
That makes it tricky but I don't know how you can get around it because everybody has to go to the toilet.
I know, but my point needs to be taken into account - it looked to me like it wasn't.
Ah sorry. I was trying to say that we've got to put up with interruptions sometimes. For instance, when I was little, I loved to build big constructions with blocks at kindy. I didn't want to move to another activity until I was finished (however long it took) so the teacher told the other kids to knock down my towers.
Then I would get stroppy and start biting and crying. But I just had to put up with it because the other kids and the teacher were bigger and bossier and they outnumbered me.
But anyway, it looks as if it isn't the interruptions that caused a problem with hrick but sensory issues instead. I don't know any way to do anything about the sensory issues except to realise that it's only for a little while.
Ah sorry. I was trying to say that we've got to put up with interruptions sometimes. For instance, when I was little, I loved to build big constructions with blocks at kindy. I didn't want to move to another activity until I was finished (however long it took) so the teacher told the other kids to knock down my towers.
Then I would get stroppy and start biting and crying. But I just had to put up with it because the other kids and the teacher were bigger and bossier and they outnumbered me.
Well, that's bullying - and I have no time for that sort of tactic. There's nothing wrong with perservering and finishing what you're doing. That sort of interuption is not on.
Having said that - I take your point (using the toilet as an example). Some interuptions you do have to get used to. But not all as some of them (as per your kindy example) are just plain rude.
See, it was back in the late 60's. Plus, the teacher didn't like my dad. Some people in town didn't like my dad and they took it out on mum and us kids and got their kids to bully us too. The joys of living in a small country town.
There was a little boy who lived behind us when I was a teenager and he used to yell if he had to go to the toilet but that was because he had some sort of problem with his bowel. After he had an operation, he was okay. He wasn't aspie though. I could see that any kid would get very agitated if it were painful.