Behaviour often communicates something
When a child becomes extremely distressed or overwhelmed, consider what may have happened before the behaviour.
- sensory overload
- unexpected change
- communication difficulties
- anxiety
- social demands
- tiredness
- frustration
- too many demands at once
During overwhelm
Prioritise immediate safety. Reducing demands and unnecessary sensory input, and allowing appropriate time and space, may be more useful than trying to reason through the situation immediately.
Afterwards
Once your child is calm, consider what happened before, during and after the episode. The purpose is not to assign blame, but to identify patterns and helpful support.
Persistent or severe difficulties deserve individual assessment rather than simply being attributed to autism.
This article is general educational information and does not replace individual medical advice. If you are worried about your child, speak to a qualified healthcare professional. In an emergency call 999, or NHS 111 for urgent advice.
To discuss your child, call 01926 624 235 or send us an enquiry.