Observe your kid closely to learn their triggers and be prepared for a meltdown by having sensory options on hand and a calm down kit.5 WAYS TO REDUCE SENSORY MELTDOWNS OVER THE HOLIDAYSĮver notice how sensory meltdowns spike during the holiday season? Itchy costumes, changing routines and noisy crowds can overwhelm the nervous system, especially with SPD or autism. But know there’s good news–you can help your child by being aware of their triggers. Meltdowns can be frightening for any parent. Labeling emotions is crucial in modeling self-regulation skills. Encourage your child to count to ten if they look frustrated and try to label emotions for them like anger or sadness. Instead of saying “calm down,” use the phrase “ take a deep breath.” “Calm down” can inadvertently encourage children to bottle up feelings, while “take a deep breath” directs them to positive action. Change Your LanguageĪdditionally, try helping your child process their emotions by using precise language. Put the kit in a calm-down corner where your child can go if they start to feel anxious or notice any of their triggers. You can easily create an anti-anxiety kit and fill it with helpful activities for your child like a squeezy ball, bubbles, stickers, unique books and crayons. Utilize a calm down kit to help your child regulate their emotions and come out of their meltdown. If it seems like they need space, lower the lights, turn on some soothing music and offer a cuddly blanket or stuffed animal. Walk them through deep breathing techniques like the 4-7-8 breath to help even their heart rate. Connect and Offer SpaceĬonnect with your child by getting down on their level, making eye contact and letting them know you’re there. Providing your kid with some sensory activities will help them to relax. Try playdough, squeeze balls, bubble gum, or give them a laundry basket to push. Give your child sensory input to snap them out of their meltdown. Hunger or thirst will impair basic cognitive functioning. Try offering water or a healthy snack to your child to meet their basic needs. Many meltdowns occur because a kid is thirsty or hungry.

Quickly remove dangerous materials from the room or any toys that could turn into projectiles. Children who have meltdowns may unintentionally hurt themselves or others. Ensure Your Child is Safeĭo a quick check of the area to ensure the environment is safe.

Be prepared to help your child by keeping a clear head. If you can’t manage your own emotions, you won’t be able to help your child regulate theirs. Additionally, you can manage how you react to your kid’s meltdown and help them regain control. But the good news is you can learn your child’s meltdown triggers to be aware of when a meltdown is imminent. Unfortunately, you can’t stop a meltdown once it begins and managing it once it occurs is more challenging than a tantrum. There were several potential triggers in this situation–maybe your child was overstimulated by the busy grocery store, was hungry and tired after a long day, perhaps they were even hot because they were wearing their winter coat. Out of nowhere, your child jumps from the cart and begins flailing on the floor, inconsolable. The grocery store is packed with people, and it’s close to dinner time. Perhaps, they’re bundled up in their winter coat. Imagine your child again in the grocery store. There’s no obvious sign as to why a child has one–they’re brought on because of emotional overload. There’s a clear trigger in this imaginary situation–boy, do they want those cookies. They start to shout and wail until they jump out of the cart and grab all the cookies they can from the shelves and throw them to the floor. You roll past their favorite cookies and don’t stop to put them in the cart.

Unlike tantrums, kids aren’t in control of meltdowns. Meltdowns are a full-body reaction to being overstimulated. The main difference between a tantrum and a meltdown is a tantrum has an obvious trigger, while a meltdown does not. Often meltdowns and tantrums are used interchangeably. What is the Difference Between a Tantrum and a Meltdown? What do you do? Use these tips to help your child during a meltdown. Your kid is at the playground and out of nowhere has a meltdown–they drop to their knees and start screaming. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Revivalist is a reader-supported endeavor and our posts may contain affiliate links.

Sensory meltdown