Is this Meltdown?

[Toot Sweets!]

Hi all,

 

My 3yr old suffers from ASD (dx), and his comms skills are pretty limited to 'tape recordings' i.e, clips of speach. Just recently on two occasions, he has had a major panic attack type thing. He is normally very happy, has no sense of danger/fear, and wether he is in his own world, or ours, this has always been the case.

 

At new year whilst visiting a relative, he totaly flipped out, clutching hold of my wifes neck, wouldn't let go, scared to death, unconsolable, could not communicate his problem, repeatdly asking for the potty - but wouldn't go, wouldn't let the toilet door be shut, wouldn't let anyone but my wife be in the same room etc.. for about 30 mins before she could assure him that mum was there and everything was ok. - by which time she was also in a state.

 

I was at work, but put it down to being in a strange enviroment,

 

Since then he has suffered again - pretty much exactly the same - but this time at home, in the living room, where nothing was out of context for his normal daily life.

 

Does this sound familiar? is this Meltdown? or something else?

 

Any suggestions on how to bring him back? - or do we just ride it out?

 

 

Thanks, Caractacus Potts & Truely

[sueeltringham]

I wouldn't describe it as a meltdown as such, but as an anxiety attack. My son started having these at around 3. The first set of attacks happened daily for us and it took me six months to realise he was terrified of the breadmaker (I felt such a rubbish mum when I realised). He still has these attacks when things are not going well at school, he is in a new environment, or he's worried about some future event -more recently it was over a clock chiming and the washing machine spinning. Sometimes it's really difficult to work out what the trigger is.

 

A meltdown for us is where he loses complete control of his anger, emotion, everything -like a tantrum but worse (only way I can describe it)! It usually has to take it's course and my son is not really sure what it is all about. At times he has resorted to hammering his head on the nearest hard object, but thankfully he seems to have moved on from that phase.

 

So, I would look at what might be triggering his 'attack', and usually there are a sequence of events, top of the list for us is a change in routine, tiredness, hunger and sensory overload, along with stress and then some trigger (loud noise for us). I hope that helps -remember all of our children are sooooo different so I might be way off the mark.

 

Sue

[JsMum]

It does sound like a state of Anxiety Attack, with limited communication it will be incredibally frightening, and totally sensory hypersensitive as its called the flight or fight, the act of placing his hands around your wifes neck sounds like fight, the toileting, this happens because when the body thinks it has to fight it eliminates things from the body ready for any injury risks, when he doesnt want the toilet door shut thats because he needs an escape, if he needs to run, J is 10 and still wont let the door be shut, he doesnt like confined spaces.

 

I would look at keeping a diary and keeping a note of the times and what occured before and during, and after.

 

My son suffers Anxiety Attacks too they are very destressing for parents to witness and you are almost powerless as there isnt anything we can do only reasure and let them know we are there.

 

Looking into Anxiety may help if it is this, I would discuss what is happening with the proffessionals that diagnosed him, as it maybe that he could have a comorbid, which is something that is with ASD too.

 

Your doing everything right with reasurring him and just repeating that.

 

JsMum

[Toot Sweets!]

Thanks Sue, & JsMum

 

I think we will have to keep a diary or similar. (just wrote this whilst you were - great minds think alike!?!) and make a real effort to try and observe what may have triggered him.

 

Most of the other symtoms you described for your son - he also portrays - but as yet not all at once. I now understand why THAT would be meltdown!

 

 

Thanks again. Caractacus Potts

Edited January 27, 2008 by Toot Sweets!

[JsMum]

The thing about triggers is there isnt always an imediate reaction, sometimes it can be something that happened a few hours ago, or even a week ago, so keeping a diary really helps with targeting what the triggers are, Js anxiety is effected with Sensory issues, so noise, smell, taste, feelings, which is why he avoids so many things, he does also have comorbids so other things trigger these too, but when it gets more than overwhelming it causes stress and that causes Anxiety Attacks as the flight and fight kicks in.

 

JsMum

[Toot Sweets!]

JsMum,

 

What is Comorbid?

 

I typed into search, got sidetracked with a thread on ADHD Quote Bard " Key ADHD symptoms:

Difficulty in following instructions and completing tasks

Difficulty in sticking with an activity

Easily distracted and forgetful

Often doesn't listen when spoken to

Fidgets, is restless and can't sit still

Interfers with other children's games, activities or work

Can't stop talking and interrupts others

Runs around at inappropriate times (as well as appropriate!)

Blurts out answers without waiting to be asked

Has difficulty in waiting or taking turns, eg in games.

Acting impulsively, without thinking of the consequences."

 

....Think B suffers from all of these also, but thought that these were ASD traits. However - that is covered in other threads.

 

C.Potts

[JsMum]

Hi J has ADHD comorbids effecting his impulsivity and attention, but he also has lots of other things too like ODD, Dyslexia, speech/langu delay, social and communication impairments, he is verbal, too much at times but he doesnt understand in the same way as his peers do, J has only been confirmed with ASD by a brain injury Institute and we are still going throw our very limited ASD specialists, J has good eye contact and so at the moment our team are saying ASD traits, the thing about ADHD is that many of the symptoms have come from the Autistic umberella and many are Autistic traits, I think when you have Traits of each one then its called a comorbid, J has now been diagnosed with Anxiety but the root cause is his ASDs and Sensory/processing difficulties but as yet our area are still in the preconceved ideas that Autism is the rainman and that we all show Autistic Traits.

 

JsMum

[Suze]

Hi Toots, my son was just like this....we used to have to put his fave tractor vid on and after about 3 0 mins he would be o.k.He hated having you in the room though and would shriek if you came in the room tried to comfort him or made eye contact ........it was very upsetting but went as he got older and could verbalise the problem or remove himself from the problem.You may find this behaviour is caused by a sensory problem.......get hold of a book by Olga Bogdashina......about sensory perception in autism.It helped me tons ........try a search on amazon.Best of luck suzex.

[Karen A]

JsMum,

 

What is Comorbid?

C.Potts

 

A Comorbid is another condition that a chil or adult has in addition to the main Diagnosis.

Comorbid conditions with asd include ADHD and DCD.

If you look in the top right hand corner of the computer screen there is a ''jargon buster'' button.It will help with explaining any other jargon that we use on the Forum. Karen.

[Karen A]

JsMum,

 

What is Comorbid?

 

I typed into search, got sidetracked with a thread on ADHD Quote Bard " Key ADHD symptoms:

Difficulty in following instructions and completing tasks

Difficulty in sticking with an activity

Easily distracted and forgetful

Often doesn't listen when spoken to

Fidgets, is restless and can't sit still

Interfers with other children's games, activities or work

Can't stop talking and interrupts others

Runs around at inappropriate times (as well as appropriate!)

Blurts out answers without waiting to be asked

Has difficulty in waiting or taking turns, eg in games.

Acting impulsively, without thinking of the consequences."

 

....Think B suffers from all of these also, but thought that these were ASD traits. However - that is covered in other threads.

 

C.Potts

 

Hi.I thought it worth mentioning that with ADHD one of the significant things is the age of the child.So the things you mention above are very common in three year olds.They would be considered unusual if a child was much older and still displaying the same pattern of behaviours.Karen.

[JsMum]

Hi.I thought it worth mentioning that with ADHD one of the significant things is the age of the child.So the things you mention above are very common in three year olds.They would be considered unusual if a child was much older and still displaying the same pattern of behaviours.Karen.

 

 

That is a good point there for the age issue, J did however have signs well before he was 2yrs and I was for ever told it was the terrible 2s, that spilled into oh terrible 3s, 4s, until he was assessed and diagnosed at 7yrs and again assessed in the last 2 yrs as he is considered severe ADHD now, ADHD is avulated after normally 6yrs old when terrible twos should be well and truely spent, keeping a diary for these kind of assessment can help get a picture in years to come, but I just wanted add to Karens post ADHD is usually diagnosed around 7yrs old.

 

JsMum

[Toot Sweets!]

Thanks for all the advice guys.

 

Toots!