.png)
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects communication, behaviour, and social interactions. A common characteristic of autism is sensory processing difficulties, which can lead to overwhelming experiences, triggering either meltdowns or shutdowns. These reactions are typically responses to extreme distress.
Meltdowns in autism are intense responses to overwhelming sensory input or emotional stimuli. They can manifest as uncontrollable crying, screaming, self-harm, or other behaviours indicating extreme distress. Common triggers for meltdowns include changes in routine, loud noises, crowds, or other sensory stimuli that are challenging for individuals with autism to process.
In contrast, a Shutdown is a withdrawal response to overwhelming sensory input or emotional stimuli. It is characterised by a lack of responsiveness, avoidance of eye contact, monotone speech, or other behaviours indicating a shutdown of cognitive or emotional processing. Shutdowns occur when an individual with autism feels overwhelmed or unable to cope with a situation, leading to disengagement from their surroundings.
Some autistic individuals may experience both meltdowns and shutdowns in response to distress. Different triggers affect different people, and sometimes a combination of factors can lead to feelings of overwhelm. It is crucial for caregivers, educators, and support individuals to understand and recognise the signs of meltdowns and shutdowns. This understanding helps provide appropriate support and aids individuals in managing their emotions and sensory experiences effectively.
If you think someone is experiencing an autism meltdown or shutdown, there are several strategies you can use to help:
Ensure Safety:
- keep them safe: remove anything in the environment that they might hurt themselves with or cause sensory overload (e.g. dim the lights, switch on the TV, remove sharp objects).
Create a Comfortable Space:
- support the individual in finding a quiet, comfortable area without bright lighting or excessive stimuli.
Stay Calm and Confident:
- remain calm, assertive, and appear confident to provide reassurance;
- allow one person to intervene rather than lots of people to avoid overwhelming the individual.
Provide Space:
- give the person space if appropriate, allowing them to regain composure.
Clear Communication:
- use clear, simple directions and acknowledge their emotions. Provide reasons for your directions, such as, “Let’s move you to a safe place where you can relax”;
- focus on short, direct sentences like, “I can see you are feeling stressed. I am going to try and help you. Take deep breaths. Close your eyes”.
Use a Calm Tone:
- when talking, use a slow, low tone of voice and clear, simple, minimal words (key words familiar to that person are always very helpful to use);
Reinforce Calmness:
- as soon as they begin to calm down, recognise it, reinforce it, and encourage them (e.g. “I can see you are feeling much calmer”);
Body Language:
- your body language makes all the difference: it may help to sit, kneel or lay down at the level of the person experiencing the crisis so that communication doesn’t feel imposed but shared;
Encourage Sitting:
- if possible, ask the person to sit down – this will help to reduce arousal;
Practise Deep Breathing:
- use deep breathing exercises and get them to join when they are ready.
By following these steps, you can effectively support someone experiencing a meltdown or shutdown, helping them manage their emotions and sensory experiences.
In conclusion, it is essential to handle autism meltdowns and shutdowns with understanding and compassion. Effective support involves helping the person with autism identify and communicate their emotions and needs. This approach not only reduces the risk of meltdowns and shutdowns but also enhances the overall well-being of the individual experiencing them. It is crucial for caregivers, educators, and society as a whole to recognise that each individual with autism is unique and may respond differently to these challenges, so it is vital to approach each situation with empathy and an open mind.
Image by Lance Nellson, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons