Managing Melt-Downs (Sensory) Of Your Child with Autism Using
Sensory Integration Strategies
In this Covid 19 situation, when we all got stuck
inside our home. It is going to be difficult for our special needs kids to manage
with their sensory needs. As they need sensory information from the environment
or through sensory integration therapy to fulfill their sensory needs,
currently both the things are not happening. Inside the home premises, we can
find various equipment’s to provide sensory feedback to the child but we are
not aware of. Because child is not getting proper sensory diet which is leading
to sensory modulation (over or under load). This in turn can challenge the
behavior of child. Sometime it leads to meltdown or temper tantrums.
What is a Meltdown?
A meltdown is ‘an intense response to overwhelming
situations’. It happens when someone becomes completely overwhelmed by their
current situation and temporarily loses behavioral control. This loss of
control can be expressed verbally (e.g. shouting, screaming,
crying), physically (e.g. kicking, lashing out, biting) or in both ways.
What
cause Meltdown?
As there are lot many triggering factor for what
causes a meltdown, this isn’t a simple one-word answer. Meltdowns are just as
individual as the unique personalities that children are born with.
The cause of meltdowns varies from child to child,
and much depends upon the situation itself, but here are some common trigger
points:
Sensory overload
Children with autism may have hypersensitivities in
one or more of their senses, and some senses can be under-sensitive, which can
provoke sensory overload with too much stimulation, followed by panic and a
meltdown.
Information Overload
Children with autism may become confused when too
much complexity comes at them at once, such as too many instructions or
demands, or language that is not understood. This can lead to stress, anxiety,
and physical pain in some children.
Emotional Overload
When a child has problems expressing themselves, it
ordinarily is too complicated for them to understand their own feelings.
Children with autism may find it difficult to ask for help when they become
anxious, and when they don’t have the intrinsic mechanisms to calm down, their emotions
become too much to handle and a meltdown ensues.
Foreseeing Meltdown
Before meltdown stage there are some initial signs
of distress which almost all people with autism will shows, which is sometimes
referred to as the “rumble stage”. They may start to exhibit signs of anxiety
such as pacing, seek reassurance through repetitive questioning either
self-talk or to the parent/caregiver or physical signs such as rocking or
becoming very still. At this stage, there may still be a chance to prevent a meltdown.
If this stage is noticed, strategies to consider
include distraction, diversion, helping the person use calming strategies such
as fiddle toys or listening to music, removing any potential triggers, and
staying calm yourself.
Sensory Strategies for Managing Meltdowns
It's not always easy to calm a child with autism,
but there are techniques which are not fail proof but can often be successful.
Some require a bit of extra equipment that offers sensory comfort. Some of
these items can be used in settings like school or community venues. If they
work well, they're worth their weight in gold.
1.
Provide
your child with sensory toys that can help lower anxiety: You can
actually buy sensory toys, but easy options range from soft
"squeezy/smiley" balls to soft clay, buzzers (helpful for some
children), and more.
2.
Weighted
vest and/or blanket: For some children, these heavy items can provide a
feeling of security, making it easier to manage the sensory assaults that go
along with most school and community experiences.
3.
Be
sure your child gets enough physical exercise: In lock-down period
when there is very less to do ensure that your child is doing some physical
exercises ranging from simple jumping to hopscotch as per their
abilities.
4.
Teach
simple methods for staying calm. Depending on your child's
abilities, options include counting to ten, walking away, deep breathing,
meditation or (when appropriate) tuning in to a calming video or book.
SENSORY MUST HAVE TOOL KITS FOR MELTDOWN
1) Sunglasses
Sunglasses can be great for light sensitivity.
Whether the sun can be too bright or your child has to deal with the harsh
light of fluorescent light bulbs.
2) A Weighted Lap Pad/weighted blanket
Deep touch pressure being a way to calm your child,
a weighted lap pad/blanket can help your child to be calm and patient.
3) Noise-canceling headphones
soemtimes, noises can be the reason for meltdown as
the kids with autism have sensitivities to the noise. Having a good pair of
noise-cancelling headphones to block out auditory stimuli or distraction can
really help.
5) Chewy or Crunchy eating items
While snacks are always good to have at any times,
crunchy ones can help because oral proprioceptive input which is calming helps
child to fulfil their oral sensory need.
6) Hand wipes and hand lotion
These help with any tactile sensitivity when your
child accidentally touches something that irritates them.
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