Understanding meltdowns

A meltdown is an intense response to an overwhelming situation. Meltdowns are different from tantrums, and the general public often finds it hard to tell the two apart. Whilst tantrums are common in young children who don’t yet have the language skills to address themselves. As they grow up, they usually have fewer tantrums and usually have control over their behaviour. But sometimes, a tantrum spirals out of control and into a meltdown.

Meltdown’s are not something people can control, and a number of situations can trigger this - they happen when someone becomes completely overwhelmed by their current situation and temporarily loses control of their behaviour.


How to support a child having a meltdown…

Generally meltdowns will end by changing or reducing the amount of sensory input, and there are some ways that parents can help this

• Give them some time

• Find a calming space

• Remove triggers

• Work out what your child needs

Looking for patterns…

Try to look for patterns in behaviour, and talk to others who know your child well, so you can understand triggers and anticipate meltdowns. Keeping a behaviour diary can be useful - you can use Hibi’s journal to support with this. Record what happened before, during and after each meltdown. Patterns may emerge. Be sure to record the positives as well! It can be easy to focus only on upsetting incidents, and it can be helpful to keep track of where strategies worked.

You may find that meltdowns occur at particular times, in particular places, or when something particular has happened. Often, a child may show signs of distress before having a meltdown, including anxious behaviour like pacing or repetitive actions. Strategies at this stage include distractions, diversion, removing trackers, and helping to calm the person.

You may find certain triggers, such as:

• Sensory differences - this could be noise, or light, touch, etc. You can support your child with sensory equipment such as shaded glasses, ear defenders or weighted blankets

• Routine changes - a change in routine can be very distressing, particularly for neurodivergent children. It can help to provide structure and explanation around any changes or transitions