You might see screaming, stiffening limbs, an arched back, kicking, falling down, flailing about or running away. In some cases, children hold their breath, vomit, break things or hurt themselves or other people as part of a tantrum.
If your child has temper tantrums that last longer than 15 minutes or are very violent, talk to a healthcare provider. And if your child is older than 4 and still having frequent tantrums, it's also a good idea to speak to your provider.
If temper tantrums are more severe, lasting longer periods of time, and occurring multiple times per day and/or occurring in a child older than 5 on a regular basis, then it may be time to talk to your pediatrician or get a psychologist involved to help support the family.
Temper tantrums range from whining and crying to screaming, kicking, hitting, and breath-holding spells. They're equally common in boys and girls and usually happen between the ages of 1 to 3. Some kids may have tantrums often, and others have them rarely. Tantrums are a normal part of child development.
For the most part, tantrums are a totally normal part of healthy toddler development, but occasionally they can be a red flag of something deeper going on (a behavioral or mood disorder, for example).
During a meltdown, it may seem like your child is out-of-control of their body. They will not be easily redirected to another activity. They will likely not be able to communicate or process instructions well.
Run or dash around in dangerous or inappropriate situations. Kids with ADHD can also have tantrums or meltdowns. These meltdowns can be extreme and often involve crying, yelling, and fits of anger. When a child has a meltdown, parents may feel overwhelmed and not know what to do.
Two types of reaction are typical of autism meltdowns – an explosive reaction or a withdrawal. Explosive reactions may involve screaming, shouting, aggressive behaviour or crying. On the other hand, less explosive reactions may include refusing to communicate or interact, withdrawing themselves or shutting down.
The main difference between tantrums and meltdowns is that tantrums have a purpose and meltdowns are the result of sensory overload. A tantrum will usually stop when the child gets what s/he wants, changes his/her tactics, or when we respond differently to how we usually respond.
A meltdown is a condition where the youngster with Aspergers or High Functioning Autism temporarily loses control due to emotional responses to environmental factors. It generally appears that the youngster has lost control over a single and specific issue, however this is very rarely the case.
What is a sensory meltdown? Sensory meltdowns are what I consider to be extreme temper tantrums that have a sensory trigger to them. These typically involve extreme aggressive behaviors (head banging, hand biting, scratching or pushing others), and require a lot of assistance to recover.
However, autistic meltdowns are not age-related and they may happen at any age. Many autistic adults, especially the higher functioning ones, may learn some strategies to prevent meltdowns and cope with them.
Some signs that a loved one is having or nearing a meltdown may include: being irritable, which can include shouting or physical aggression. fidgeting or stimming more (repetitive movements or noises) getting frustrated over small things.
A tantrum is willful behaviour in younger children and therefore can be shaped by rewarding desired behaviours, whereas a meltdown can occur across a lifespan and isn't impacted by a rewards system. Tantrums slowly go away as a child grows up, but meltdowns may never go away.
Tantrums, rage and meltdowns can mean different things for different individuals but they usually occur in three stages which are rumble, rage and recovery (diagram below).
Signs and symptoms of challenging behaviour
defiance (e.g. refusing to follow your requests) fussiness (e.g. refusal to eat certain foods or wear certain clothes) hurting other people (e.g. biting, kicking) excessive anger when the child doesn't get their own way.
Autism in young children
avoiding eye contact. not smiling when you smile at them. getting very upset if they do not like a certain taste, smell or sound. repetitive movements, such as flapping their hands, flicking their fingers or rocking their body.
Meltdowns do not have a purpose.
Typical tantrums are often manipulative in which a child learns that they can get what they want if they cry or scream. By contrast, autistic tantrums are not manipulative: they are genuine cries of distress.
Kids with autism may screech or yell when overwhelmed or frustrated. Some autistic children bolt from the room, hit others, or even injure themselves when upset. Children on the spectrum may not look directly at a person when speaking. Autistic kids may rock, flick, or pace when they are expected to sit still.
Some experts believe children as young as 2 can show symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or ADD), a neurodevelopmental condition. Identifying and treating ADHD as soon as possible can make the terrible two's, three's, and beyond a bit less terrible.
While many children have tantrums at some point, it is especially common for children with ADHD to feel irritable. They may have trouble concentrating at school, managing their emotions, or controlling impulses, all of which can cause anger and frustration. This may contribute to tantrums.
Young children with ADHD are also extremely irritable — which can result in whining, demanding, or screaming every request they make — and prone to aggressive and angry outbursts.