Managing Child Meltdowns & Tantrums - Tips From A Board Certified Behavior Analyst

Dealing with a child in meltdown mode can be a delicate situation. Discover essential strategies to support children during challenging meltdowns, including elopement, aggression, and property destruction. In this video, Sasha Long, MA, BCBA shares expert insights on maintaining safety and minimizing risks when a child is in meltdown mode. Empower yourself with proven techniques that ensure a secure environment for both the child and those around them, whether at home or in educational settings. Learn Sasha's top 5 tips on how to help keep a student safe when they are melting down - whether that means eloping, engaging in aggression, or property destruction.

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[iknwaplace]

I’m very new to working with preschoolers in a classroom setting, and as an autistic person, it gets overwhelming when a child goes into meltdown mode. Mostly because I understand how they are feeling, but they aren’t old enough to know how to handle their big emotions.

I have a child who’s been having very out of character meltdowns lately and I’m learning how to help him better :)

[ellioth]

I work as a TA in a special ed school. My students are 9-12 and gosh it's so validating to know i am utilizing most of these tips. My students deserve the best and i want to grow and learn new ways to help them in these tough times.

[paigejustneedstocope]

I worked as a TA, but had no education past high school. All these steps I figured out myself and have implemented them in how I behave now years later. I’m glad to see this video, it means I’ve learned correctly!
When a child comes to me to tell me about another kid bothering him/her, instead of going to the other child in accusation or confrontation, I will go to them with friendly gentle energy and say something like “Hi! Were you and Johnny playing together?” Or “Did something happen?” And I’ll make sure to hear both kids out before I start addressing the situation or saying “He said this happened, is that what happened?” I’m not always sure I’m doing everything right, but I noticed that a lot of kids prefer to come to me for help over anyone else.

[ruthcardona]

Love this, I have been working with children with autism for over 18 years in classrooms and watching videos as this I am always learning, we never ever stop learning, thank you!!🥰

[gracemahoney]

As someone who is a few months away from graduating with my masters in ABA I can agree theseare all perfect strategies to use and are applicable for almost everyone I love how she said take a minute to calm yourself down before you go over to give help prompt or wait, she’s right people tend to accidentally escalate the situation with their reactions!

[monic.]

Out of all the vids that i have seen about this subject - this is hands down the best one, thank you

[alexandriabeatrix]

This was such a great video! Some of these methods I already use in my classroom, such as offering choices, and speaking calmly, but it feels so great to be affirmed thag those are good ways to help students out. I really liked the examples of choice boards you showed us, and I think that they would be really helpful in our classroom. Thank you so much for this!

[jen]

Great video! I volunteer daily in the cafeteria and kids get so out of control. We have a lot of teachers who try to force them to calm down quickly by just yelling at them. Many kids are upset while trying to dispose of their uneaten food and racing their friends trying to go out to recess. I try to just slow down my movements and voice and remind them I'm here to help them sort their recycling so they can go play. It's stressful though and at the end of the lunch period the cafeteria looks like a crime scene most days.

[NYCWendy]

I’m going to make a visual choice board today thank you so much for this video!!!

[Mercy.Beloved]

Thanks for this! I just started working in special education as an IA. I have ADHD and Autism myself and still working on calming down and patience.

[haleynicole]

Your video deserves wayyy more likes ! Definitely going to make more visual cards and pictures!

[lorim]

These are great strategies! Several years ago, I read about a girl who had meltdowns and the doctor realized she had PANDAS/PANS. (Dr. Kenneth Bock's book Healing the New Childhood Epidemics) Things that help our son are the GAPS diet, medicine, supplements like high dose sodium ascorbate, feverfew capsules, etc. Also, recently we've begun homeopathy for PANDAS/PANS and have seen improvement. Their immune system can attack their brain causing migraines and meltdowns and yes, not adding to the stress helps. Also, a lot of people praying for him helps!

[Preppy.Peeeeeeeeeep]

I suspect that I am on the spectrum somewhere, I am definitely not neurotypical. I have been to many counselors and therapists who have done nothing but tell my mom that I am just overstimulated constantly. I had my first psychiatrist visit today, and my mom was in the room explaining what happens when I have a meltdown (which are still quite frequent, but I’m getting better) and she said that in the moments leading up to one I do a repetitive movement- like I’ll stand behind a char and rock it, or I’ll stomp and slide my foot, or move the coffee table, just anything somewhere along those things, and apparently it’s my body’s way of recognizing something and then trying to regulate itself. And then if I’m not calmed down, I’ll get super angry, and then my mom says my face will just go kinda blank, like no remorse, just tears and blank. The psychiatrist said that sometimes when someone gets really angry they’ll actually have some form of a seizure. But the thing is, I completely forget all of it. I’ll forget the regulating, I’ll forget the meltdown, I’ll forget all of it. We have a follow up soon, and I really hope that we can just slap a label on me because I just want to title something, because we haven’t been able to name it for my entire life. I’m sorry for just kinda dumping a bunch of info, but if anyone else has any idea about this please just say anything!!

[Carlyceltic]

My little boy has it hasn’t been confirmed yet, I knew from when he was around 10 months he’s now 2 and half. He’s getting the help now at the nursery hopefully not long before it’s confirmed. Then I can look at steps forward for both me and him x

[amandajesseleigh]

What about when the choices then trigger an already escalated situation... choices are thrown away in anger and they just dont hear anything? 4yr old boy mom here🙋🏼‍♀️

[madisen]

Do you have a link to your visual choice boards? I love them!

[v.a]

my 2 and a half years old he is picking my skin so much and scratching me extremly i m lost i dont know if he ever live this he has the signs of autism still not diagnosed we waiting doctor to call us when he can take us its soo hard i lost my joy im all the time in stress he yelling all the time im so lost is he going to live those behaviour theh all come from inside is not something that he saw them somewhere he is extrymly nervous and agresive he doesnt sleep i love him so much i see he is strugling and me too i wish i can find a cure

[blueblousedesigns]

Keep several play mats or a large gymnastics mat in the classroom

[daughterofsekhmet]

Any advice on how to calm escalating tantrums in a 5yo autistic boy? He's very smart and usually very sweet and happy but every morning is a nightmare- screaming, crying, kicking, and throwing himself to the floor because he doesn't want to go to school. The tantrums are mainly about school, but he sometimes has them if we need to go to the doctor or the store. Those are much less severe, it's just the school ones that are becoming unmanageable. We've talked about why he doesn't like going anywhere and all he ever says is "I just like staying home". He just wants to stay home and play with his toys 24/7.

I've tried empathizing, ignoring, being firm, offering rewards if he cooperates, I let him take his favorite toy to school, but nothing works. They are definitely tantrums too and not true meltdowns cause I see him switch tactics throughout. When saying he doesn't want to go doesn't work, he says he doesn't like his teachers(he actually does like them, and this one really worries me because I don't want him thinking he can lie or make up stories to get what he wants). When that doesn't work, he starts crying with exaggerated "Waaaah!" sounds like he's imitating a baby, while watching me to gauge my reaction. Then comes "but I'm sick!" followed by fake coughing. If none of it works, it's kicking and throwing himself and trying to run away. This morning was the worst yet, he normally cries and complains but walks into the school willingly, but this morning I had to walk him in and physically restrain him so he wouldn't bang his head or run away.

He has an IEP and very good caring teachers, every day when I pick him up he's in a good mood and tells me he had fun that day, but this behavior is getting progressively worse. I am autistic myself and at my wit's end. I'm genuinely worried for when he gets bigger and stronger than me and I can't control him anymore.

[cleovintora]

My client had a tamtrum for 1 whole hr he was crying, o gave him space simce he tries ro attack me i tried choices...when his dad camw in the room and he saw us talking he started luaghing. His dad and i conclided it was escape