Autism tantrums vs normal tantrums1/4/2024 In a meltdown, the child isn’t in control of their emotions. A meltdown occurs when a student is no longer able to cope.During a tantrum, a student will often pause to see if the adult is watching them. For instance, the pupil wants to stop working, the adult tells them ‘no’, and the pupil explodes. Tantrums are usually sparked by a disagreement with authority. That’s because tantrums and meltdowns come from very different places. Look out for a future blog dedicated to Conscious Discipline! In Table 1, please find strategies to use during a tantrum or meltdown, based on research from Conscious Discipline.Wrong… and treating them the same will make matters worse. Luckily, there are a variety of evidenced-based strategies that can help both the parent and the child.Īt Exceptional Speech Therapy and Exceptional Teletherapy, we are passionate about using strategies based on the renowned Conscious Discipline self-regulation program, which has preliminary evidenced-based research to support effectiveness on managing thoughts, feelings, behaviors, in both children and adults. Not to mention, if you are in a public place, having all eyes on you is not easy. If you don’t give in, the parent can easily feel powerless. If you give in to your child’s wants every time, it will become a learned behavior, which will likely enforce more tantrums in the future. It can be an unpleasant feeling, all around. It is not only difficult to see your child in distress, but it is also emotionally exhausting for the caretaker. Please refer to Graph 1 below which depicts signs of a tantrum vs. These are no longer considered tantrums, they are considered emotional meltdowns. The emotions control the child, rather than the child controlling the emotions thus, regulating thought and behavior is not even being attempted. Because of this, emotional outbursts present themselves differently due to an overwhelming emotional intensity. Typically, elimination of tantrum episodes is observed by 3 6-4 0 years of age, when the child is able to independently self-regulate emotions.Ī child who is not emotionally regulated, which is often seen in children that are on the autism spectrum, may not understand his/her feelings or may only be able to identify feelings in a concrete way. When a child displays appropriate self-regulation, it is a reflection of developed social skills, emotional intelligence, and academic performance. Emotional regulation can occur when a child is able to identify his/her emotion (e.g., happy, sad, tired, mad, silly, etc.), and express accordingly. Emotional regulation is the learned skill in managing emotions and behaviors based on the appropriate environment, by producing a suitable response. Experiencing tantrums help children develop regulation skills, specifically emotional regulation skills. If your child is hungry, thirsty, or tired, it is also likely that he/she will get frustrated more easily.Īlthough tantrums can be challenging, they are a normal part of child development, depending on the child’s age (~2 0-3 0 years). Or perhaps the child doesn’t have the speech and language skills to effectively communicate wants/needs. Perhaps from not being able to obtain a desired object or complete a certain task. The frustrations and challenges that lead to tantrums may stem from a variety of reasons. After all, how exhausting it must be for them. If your child is a toddler, they likely do not have tantrums on purpose. They may present as emotional outbursts, which can range anywhere from whining and crying, to screaming, kicking, hitting, shoving, hitting, laying on the floor, and breath holding. What is a tantrum and why does it happen?Ī tantrum is the way a child expresses his/her frustrations and challenges within the moment. Perhaps, you’ve even experienced your own child displaying these behaviors. These situations can make us turn our heads, but the fact is that they’re not that uncommon - we’ve all encountered or heard about these situations. Or perhaps you’re on the airplane and witness a children’s tantrums by repeatedly kicking the seat in front. You’re at the toy store and you happen to notice a toddler crying and screaming on the floor, as you walk by the aisle.
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