What not to do during a meltdown - From an autistic adult

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It depend if you can pull over to a safe place, if you are sure you can control him near the road, if you are alone, how far you are from home, etc.

Close to home, you could park up get him out an walk him home if you think this would help. Then fetch the car later when you have supervision.

This is unpopular to say by some meltdown are controlling in nature I can say if this is the case here. That is down to your judgment.

Sometimes you just have to stop, after a pause if is able to understand, he wont get home fast unless helps you help him. Rinse and repeat.

It is dangerous not least for your concentration if he is kicking off whilst driving.

It is important to find out why he is melting down if you can. You may be able to do something about it.

Thanks all. Yeah its scaffolded. We are VERY careful not to go anywhere without telling him in advance and try to avoid detours, which is hard because we like to drive for the scenery. He has come a long way over the years and it used to be every other day. In the main we try to avoid getting him riled, cowardly eh?

But it gets us through, but sometimes it gets v dangerous and nowhere to pull in, but thats life eh?

To tag onto the "all people are different" theme: we had a very awful therapist in the very early days before we knew what was going on, and she recommended holding him close until the meltdown was over (in a hug.)

It made everything SIGNIFICANTLY worse, plus it set ME off; it was impossible to keep calm while holding a struggling, spitting, biting, kicking, screaming boy (and what kind of idiot thought that was a good idea? Some "professionals" should just not be in the profession.)

My son needs solitude. Period. He often calms down very quickly if he can stay in his room alone. Screens might delay the meltdown, but they aren't going to make him calm.

I must have 'meltdowns' almost every single day. Though I do not attack those around me, I do disparage myself severely and generally end up binge-eating. I can't seem to connect to anyone or anything.

Last edited by JakeASD on 01 Nov 2015, 2:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I was threatened to be put in a mental hospital if I hit her again so that fixed my aggression.