Why does my child have meltdowns?

Frequent emotional “meltdowns” are often due to one of two common mechanisms in children with autism and, as such, can be broken down into two recognizable patterns. The first meltdown pattern occurs when the child is simply sitting and without, and provocation slowly becomes emotionally distraught. This pattern results from the inability to maintain blood pressure and might happen when the child is forced to sit still (sitting in a car seat) or has gone without food or drink for a while (liquids, salt, and carbohydrates boost blood pressure).nnThe second pattern of meltdowns is often referred to as a transition issue. The child becomes distraught when irritated by an unwanted change in their current activity. This pattern is similar to road rage in adults and is covered in great detail in the second edition of our book.