Sensory meltdowns are triggered by various sensory preferences which can be different for each of us. These sensory preferences can be compounded by things like lack of sleep, illness, and hunger amongst other things. Understanding your child’s sensory preferences is key in identifying their triggers.
Triggers to a sensory meltdown can be too much of something your child’s system dislikes, e.g., movement, loud sounds, intense smells, flashing lights. What happened to your sweet, happy little girl who would have normally walked away with some attitude you may be asking? She is on sensory overload and the no to that cookie was the straw that broke the camel’s back pushing her system into a full-blown meltdown.
Kicking, yelling, screaming…she’s inconsolable all because you said no to a cookie. You get home after all the hustle and bustle and your child asks for a cookie to which you respond “no.” Your child loses it. On top of this, your child normally naps at the time of the party but you decided to forgo it so she could attend. There has been loud music, yelling, and excitement from the children, balloons, streamers, the smell of food at the buffet, and sugary foods. Your normally happy and easy-going child has been at a birthday party with friends all morning. Definition of a tantrumĬhallenging behaviors such as kicking, screaming, hitting, yelling, or being sassy in response to being given a limit or boundary.Ī meltdown can be triggered by a limit or boundary but this often has more to do with the overloaded sensory system. Definition of a meltdownĬhallenging behaviors that occur as a result of an overloaded sensory system, such as kicking, screaming, hitting, yelling, or throwing themselves around. Those two phrases are oftentimes used interchangeably, however, I see them as two very different things. Can I get an amen on that? Sensory Meltdown vs Tamper Tantrumsīefore I go further, I want to make an important distinction between tantrums and meltdowns. Those behaviors are tough to deal with, especially when they happen in public. Screaming, crying, and yelling are often perceived as misbehavior leading to anger and frustration on the part of parents, teachers, and caretakers. You see when it is overloaded, the corresponding reactions and behaviors in our children are often misinterpreted by parents.
The sensory system is complex and multifaceted and it is one of the most important learning tool that we have. Our guest expert from The Mentor Mom, Jill Urbane, will help us understand it all.
SENSORY MELTDOWN HOW TO
This will help you understand what may be causing your child’s reactions and how to better meet his or her needs. One of the most important steps you can take is to learn more about sensory processing and how it affects your child. This can be very distressing for both the child and his or her family, but there are some things you can do to help manage sensory overload in children. Sensory overload in children is very common and it may cause physical, behavioral, and emotional issues.
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