Having a Meltdown

                   

                Having a Meltdown

I recall receiving an email from a new member of staff who had come from mainstream with no previous training in working with pupils with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Staff had been concerned with how she had reacted to a ‘meltdown’. Her email suggested it was a word she found distasteful. A word that she felt shouldn’t be used. The pupil just needed to be told how to behave.

A meltdown actually is a very important word and our staff using that word showed complete understanding of our pupils and their needs.

A meltdown is when a pupil with ASD experiences sensory overload or adverse reactions to sensory input more frequently than ordinary mainstream pupils.

  As a result, pupils with ASD have a greater tendency to move from a calm and alert state (PNS) to a fight or flight state(SNS) in the presence of certain sensory stimuli. This is known as ‘having a meltdown’.

Our pupils may perceive sensory input that seems normal to mainstream pupils as overwhelming or even painful. This explains why they often experience a fight or flight in the presence of these sensory stimuli.

Each pupil with autism is unique and so is very different in terms of the type or amount of sensory input that causes this reaction. They can have a hard time with self-regulation and actually need assistance to calm.

 It is important to find what triggered the reaction. 

When they are experiencing fight or flight they may attempt to escape the situation or hide, they may become aggressive, or they may cry/scream inconsolably or may even shut down or fall asleep. Every human being reacts differently to situations -that’s what makes us individuals.

We need to remember that responding from a behavioural point of view is ineffective in these cases. As adults, we need to remove the excessive or adverse stimuli, and we may need to take the pupil to a calm, quiet place.

·       Some pupils may need to be held

·       Some may need to exercise to get excess energy out and decompress

·       Others may prefer to sit alone with a comfort blanket that feels weighty (proprioceptive input also known as deep pressure input) so that they feel grounded.

·       Some may like the visual stimuli of low lighting

·        Others may prefer auditory stimuli of music

·       The smell of essential oils work for some

·       Water play works for others

·        While others may prefer to sit with something to twiddle as a tactile stimuli.

·        Certain types of vestibular sensory input (sometimes referred to as movement input) can also help: Some of our pupils who are in the midst of a sensory meltdown respond positively to swinging on a swing or rocking in a chair, while other children prefer to jump on our outdoor trampoline in times of stress.

It is important to have a basic understanding of sensory input that can calm individual pupils (as each child has an individual response to sensory input).

 Individuals with autism have meltdowns for various reasons. Autism, after all, is a spectrum disorder. Attempting to reason with a pupil during a meltdown (sensory overload) is ineffective.

But how do you know when it’s a meltdown or when a pupil is simply having a temper tantrum?

Well, for all intents and purposes, a meltdown does look very similar to a tantrum. Often, it’s difficult to tell the difference- especially to the untrained eye or for someone who might not be familiar with autism.

With a tantrum, a pupil is looking for a reaction whereas with a meltdown, the pupil does not care if you are reacting or watching. They have simply reached a point when they are out of control and they are very frightened.

Have patience and recognise that if a staff member uses the word ‘meltdown’ he or she probably knows what to do next. And instead of complaining -offer them support.

We now offer online training to all of our staff. They are released from class for half a day a week and follow certificated programmes of study.

Visit http://ysgolpencoch.org/ and choose from a range of online training programmes  aimed to support teachers, teaching assistants & trainee teachers to increase their knowledge and skills in working with children & young people with a range of special educational needs (sen)