Meltdown Vs Tantrum The Virtual Pediatric Ot The biggest difference between the two is the cause of the outburst. the same goes for comparing autism meltdown vs tantrum. meltdowns are generally caused by an individual’s inability to cope with overwhelming emotions, situations or sensory input, whereas tantrums are generally caused by frustration or wanting something that they cannot have. Clues a behavior is a sensory meltdown. • reaction to event, feeling or overload of sensory input. • is not to achieve a want, need, or goal. • continues even without an audience. • ends only when the child has calmed down and the feelings are out. • the child is very tired after the meltdown or appears ‘spent’.
Meltdown Vs Tantrum The Virtual Pediatric Ot Colleen beck otr l. may 16, 2024. overcoming sensory meltdowns can be a real challenge. for parents in a household where sensory challenges are common, having an understanding of what’s really going on with self regulation and sensory processing is even better. today, i have information on sensory overload meltdowns as well as a powerful tool. Tantrums are a way to communicate a need or a want. once the need is met, the behavior stops. eg. “i want more tv” or “i want more chocolate”. then when you give in, it stops. so it’s a clear want or need that’s met. a meltdown is usually related to sensory overload (overtired, over thirsty, too cold, etc) and the child is reacting. I am a pediatric occupational therapist with over 20 years of experience in many different pediatric ot settings including schools, clinics, home health, early intervention, and teletherapy (prior to 2020!). i have my master’s in occupational therapy from tufts university and my bachelor’s in psychology from binghamton university. Meltdowns are different from tantrums because they stem not necessarily for the purpose of a desired outcome, but because of a reaction to feeling overwhelmed. they are very common with children on the autism spectrum when they are receiving too much – or too little – sensory input.
Meltdown Vs Tantrum The Virtual Pediatric Ot I am a pediatric occupational therapist with over 20 years of experience in many different pediatric ot settings including schools, clinics, home health, early intervention, and teletherapy (prior to 2020!). i have my master’s in occupational therapy from tufts university and my bachelor’s in psychology from binghamton university. Meltdowns are different from tantrums because they stem not necessarily for the purpose of a desired outcome, but because of a reaction to feeling overwhelmed. they are very common with children on the autism spectrum when they are receiving too much – or too little – sensory input. Tantrums and in managing the meltdowns. this takes practice, as you need to learn to read your child’s reactions and try to respond accordingly. tantrums . tend to be outbursts that are . more intentional and are used as a way of getting something a child wants. they have a purpose and children are looking for a certain response. Imagine a child who briefly stops mid tantrum to make sure someone is looking at them. tantrums usually end once the person gets what they want or don’t see a benefit to continuing. but sometimes, a tantrum spirals out of control and turns into a meltdown. how meltdowns are different. a meltdown is a reaction to feeling overwhelmed.
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