Do neurotypical children ever have meltdowns?
jojobean
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Joined: 12 Aug 2009
Age: 49
Gender: Female
Posts: 3,341
Location: In Georgia sipping a virgin pina' colada while the rest of the world is drunk
that was an I am tired and PO-ed NT tantrum. I was dxd at 8 years old and my toddler meltdowns according to my mother were a sight to behold.
First, I would get overwelmed and then bang my head on the floor...then scream cause it hurt. Then bang my head on the floor again and scream cause it hurt...this would go on until mom tied me into a sheet so tight that I could not move... then the presure calmed me down.
I had another one that scared the mess out of people. I would get soo out of control with my screaming and then I would hold my breath and pass out. I also had colic real bad as a baby...mom said that I screamed for hours on end and nothing she could do would calm me down.
She said I often would stick my hand in my mouth and choke on my hand and not think to take my hand out of my mouth to stop choking and mom had to run and remove my hand. according to her...I did this often.
My sister on the other hand was a happy baby...then she got a real high fever at 3 years old (108 degrees) and went into the terrible 3's and never really got out of them. Ever since then she did not want to be held, was prone to meltdowns, and could easliy be diagnosed with high functioning AS no, but is in denial because I am much more lower functioning than her and she thinks that she doesnt have AS or she would be like me.
but my point is that there are more signs than just one episode at that age. AS toddlers generally dont like to be held from my experience. My sister was that way and I liked standing up on my mom's lap...but did not want to be cuddled.
I also had no idea how to play with other kids until mom taught me.
_________________
All art is a kind of confession, more or less oblique. All artists, if they are to survive, are forced, at last, to tell the whole story; to vomit the anguish up.
-James Baldwin
First, I would get overwelmed and then bang my head on the floor...then scream cause it hurt. Then bang my head on the floor again and scream cause it hurt...this would go on until mom tied me into a sheet so tight that I could not move... then the presure calmed me down.
Do you remember what these were like from the inside? My son has had head banging incidents, which I've been assuming are really bad headaches.
Daughter loves using us parents as jungle gyms, but does not like being cuddled ... except when she is sick, then she demands cuddles and gives her cold to everyone.
This is just random opinion.. but yes NT kids have tantrums too.. the difference is they tend to outgrow them once they start talking and learn better ways to express their strong emotions so that they become very rare. Aspie kids/adults dont learn those better ways to express emotions so the tantrums just continue even if they change and / or become more verbal. Yelling and being abusive rather than rolling around on the floor crying.. it's still a tantrum caused by emotional overload.
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Michelle K. - OCD, undiagnosed Aspergers
Mom to Jordan age 10 - Sensory Integration Disorder, undiagnosed Aspergers, Diabetes, JRA
jojobean
Veteran
Joined: 12 Aug 2009
Age: 49
Gender: Female
Posts: 3,341
Location: In Georgia sipping a virgin pina' colada while the rest of the world is drunk
First, I would get overwelmed and then bang my head on the floor...then scream cause it hurt. Then bang my head on the floor again and scream cause it hurt...this would go on until mom tied me into a sheet so tight that I could not move... then the presure calmed me down.
Do you remember what these were like from the inside? My son has had head banging incidents, which I've been assuming are really bad headaches.
Daughter loves using us parents as jungle gyms, but does not like being cuddled ... except when she is sick, then she demands cuddles and gives her cold to everyone.
Well I have been prone to self injurous behavior all of my life since babyhood. I dont remember banging my head on the floor as it has been a long time now. I am 34 years old now. However to give you some insight, my episodes of biting myself which I still do from time to time...seem to be very similar to what my mom described as I was youinger. Sometimes I get so overwhelmed...usually a mix of physical and emotional stress, and I begin melting down and the next thing I know it feels like I am struck by an emotional lightning and I attack myself...then I scream cause it hurts...and if the meltdown continues after that. (sometimes it doesnt and just dies down, but othertimes it only gets worse)
But sometimes if it gets worse I just contunie to attack myself and reacting to the pain.
Luckily I have not done this in a long time.
I tend to be more clingy when I am sick too.
_________________
All art is a kind of confession, more or less oblique. All artists, if they are to survive, are forced, at last, to tell the whole story; to vomit the anguish up.
-James Baldwin
For example, I have 12 cousins, and all but 2 all go clubbing (the 2 who don't are still children, but as soon as they reach 18 they will go clubbing), and typically I'm the only one because I have this isolating disability called AS, so this is living proof that NTs all go clubbing and the Aspie don't. But let's get to the point here - I tell my mum and my aunts how I feel about being the only one emotionally unable to go clubbing, but sometimes it just gets on top of me and I flare up, yelling things like, ''WHY ME? WHY IS IT ME BORN WITH AUTISM AND EVERYONE ELSE NORMAL! WHY AM I THE ONLY ONE SUFFERING BEING AN UNUSUAL 21 YEAR OLD! WHY IS IT ME, ME, ME?! !! !! !! !'' Then I break down, which is excessive crying and slapping my head because I'm trying to punish my brain for making me not know how to be sociable and able to do these things what 95 percent of young people of my age do, and it just makes me feel so isolated and depressed.
I'm not sure if this is a meltdown, an outburst, a panic attack or a nervous breakdown. Sometimes I don't think I will make 50, with all this loneliness.
Ok.. First you should stop comparing yourself to others. I know that is easier said than done but everyone is different and you have strengths that they dont. Even if you do not know what they are yet they are there and you will find your place. You are still very young.
On the immediate issue of clubbing... have you tried going and driving yourself and maybe having a 'plan' for the evening. Everyone will grab something to eat together first. Then you will all go to the club and you will stay for 30 min and then you will leave. Keeping it to a tolerable limit but still getting to go. Have you tried a plan that alternates time out with time in. Say 30 min inside and then you will excuse yourself and go outside for 15 to just get a break from all the noise and people. You can take someone with you or you can simply sit in your car for a few minutes.
And lastly for your own sanity please repeat after me.. Not everyone likes to go clubbing. The reality is that your cousins like to go clubbing. Not everyone. Make a list of what YOU like to do and then seek out groups that do that. Try shooting pool. You can often find pool tables in smaller quieter places and you have the game to focus on and talk about instead of just people people people everywhere.. or bowling.. or playing that card game magic or whatever.. Just find a place where you are comfortable with people who like something you like. Clubbing is seriously overrated and NOT the only social outlet out there. Find your place where you are accepted and the first step to finding that is accepting yourself. You are different and that is a good thing. Not easy but good. Be kind to yourself there is more to life than clubbing at 21. You find your place in the world but you need to stop looking at what you cant do and start looking for what you CAN do. <hugs to you>
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Michelle K. - OCD, undiagnosed Aspergers
Mom to Jordan age 10 - Sensory Integration Disorder, undiagnosed Aspergers, Diabetes, JRA
