“The thing is, there’s no such thing as tantrum disorder or meltdown disorder,” notes Dr. When children don’t develop emotional regulation as part of normal development, the causes are varied. The child feels they deserve or need something that is being deliberately withheld from them-the cookie, the video game, something they covet at the toy store-and is overwhelmed by their frustration and sense of injustice.īut anxiety is another big trigger it causes kids to freak out, overriding the logic that would enable them to see that their anxiety is out of proportion to the situation. 1 emotion that causes children to lose their heads and blow up-think of it as the kid version of road rage, says child and adolescent psychiatrist Steven Dickstein, MD. Whether mild or severe, tantrums are symptoms that a child is struggling with emotions they can’t regulate. This is opposed to a meltdown, during which a child loses control so completely that the behavior only stops when they wear themselves out and/or the parent is able to calm them down. One benchmark many parents use is that a tantrum is likely to subside if no one is paying attention to it. “Tantrum” is commonly used to describe milder outbursts, during which a child still retains some measure of control over their behavior. Many people make a distinction between tantrums and meltdowns, though neither is a clinical term. But that response teaches the child that they can get toys by crying, so they’re more likely to have more tantrums. Instead, it’s helpful to look for the triggers that cause your child to act out and steer them towards more mature ways to express their feelings.
ADHD MELTDOWN VS AUTISM MELTDOWN HOW TO
Many parents aren’t sure how to help their children when they have a tantrum or a meltdown. It’s common to give kids what they want to stop their tantrums, like giving a child a toy to get them to stop crying. They often struggle with problem-solving, communicating their needs, and calming themselves down. Whatever the cause, kids who throw a lot of tantrums lack skills to manage their emotions. And sensory overload can trigger meltdowns in kids with sensory processing issues. Kids with autism often respond to unexpected changes by melting down.
Undiagnosed learning disorders can cause kids to explode in frustration. Kids with ADHD are prone to outbursts, too, as they have poor impulse control and find it hard to tolerate boredom.
When kids have tantrums and meltdowns beyond the preschool years, they may be symptoms of underlying problems. Tantrums and meltdowns are confusing and exhausting for kids and parents alike. They happen when kids have big emotions that they don’t know how to deal with. Anger and frustration are common triggers. Tantrums and meltdowns aren’t clinical terms, but many parents think of meltdowns as more extreme versions of tantrums.
0 kommentar(er)
