To hate the term meltdown

[morethanpotatoprints]

I am sick of hearing this term, not because the dcs the parents refer to but wtf does the term mean?

"DD had complete meltdown when I" arghhhhhhhh!

Is it too much to expect people to be a bit more explicit in what they are trying to convey?

To me it means an irrational hissy temper tantrum, and an inability to calm down and listen to anyone.

I know plenty of adults, never mind children, who have them.

Just because you don't understand the term doesn't mean everyone else who know exactly what it means should stop using it. YABU

It means you are so cross, you might MELT. It happens to me often. I haven't actually melted yet, but I might one day.

Amongst other definitions, meltdown refers to a collapse or breakdown of something or someone and comes from its original definition of a nuclear accident wherein the fuel overheats and causes the core, or shield, to melt down. It's both descriptive and fairly commonly used. Not sure why you want people to be more explicit.

You state you're sick of hearing a term because you don't know what it means?

Why don't you just Google it?

I use it to describe dd1 in a almighty autism tantrum unlike I have seen other kids. It's not a temper tantrum and it's not a crying fit, therefore we call it meltdown

To me, meltdown means uncontrollable crying past the point of accepting comfort or reason. Usually only remedied by time and often a sleep. Normal toddler behaviour, sadly being rediscovered by my hormonal tweenager:(
I've also seen the term used extensively by parents of autistic children to describe their child's response to various frustrations.

What Lisa said. I too have an autistic child. It's common to use it in relation to autistic children. It's a good description of what happens to these kids.

Yep, it's a term used for autistic tantrums, which look like tantrums but aren't actually tantrums. Tantrums about trying to manipulate others whereas meltdowns aren't, they're about emotional overload and crash.

Gets on my wick too. Describes a middle class woman being slightly angry.

If you dont know what it means then be grateful, it means you have never seen one.

Meltdown is a situation where there is no one in control and that makes it worse for the meltdowner because a lack of control is usually a contributing factor. For the parent/carer/partner of the meltdowner it is horrible because there is literally nothing they can do to deal with the situation and just have to let it play out.

However, all that said, it has become a depression/bipolar/personality disorder type phrase that has been appropriated by people that dont have that issue but use it anyway.

Apologies . I didn't realize 'meltdown' was a technical term used to describe autistic tantrums or psychiatric manifestations . Hope I didn't offend with my lighthearted response .

I was but will forgive you as assumed you hadn't read whole post before posting such a blasé post

I do understand what area the term relates to but find it really annoying when people use it to talk about behaviour of children. Why not say temper tantrum.

To those parents with autistic children and those with mental health disorders I apologise as from your replies I understand how this term is used now.

Most of the time I hear the term it is not in this context, but used to describe normal behaviour of children. Some call it terrible twos

I think it's a pretty good description. How would you want it conveyed in a more explicit way? If you tell us, we can start describing it like that.

It's not middle class, it's not someone getting a bit mardy. Meltdown is a very good description of the downward spiral of behaviour that you get with toddlers, and I'm told it aptly describes some autistic behaviour.

In nuclear terms meltdown is an irreversible inevitable reaction. To compare this with a toddler tantrum is a little like comparing the holocaust to a bad day at work, but the same things apply. Mass evacuation. Running away from the source.. stocking up on essentials. etc.

I understand what you're saying now I think OP

Do you mean that you understand how the term is used for kids with ASD and other SN, but you think it's overused by those with NT kids?

I'm not sure it is particularly overused by people with NT kids on MN

But then again, it's just an expression and everyone is free to use it.

The term 'gets on my wick' pisses me off. What the fuck does it actually mean ?

:)

Before I found MN, the term meltdown was only (IME) used to describe busy phone lines and websites.

But on here, it's particularly used to describe a particular 'break down' in Autistic children.

Oh Dear. If what Worra says is right, then I am a horrible arse. I'd never heard it used that way and I just use it to refer to my own (and other adults') crisis points that occur every day from time to time during the ordinary trials and tribulations of parenting and/or adulthood.

Worra thinks everyone is an arse

SrirachaGirl In RL, I describe myself as having a mini meltdown if I'm hungry at 4.30 and the Chinese doesn't open until 5pm

Tuwooooo

Meltdown is something irreversible I reckon.

Forget 'mini'. I may or may not have used the term "full-blown meltdown" to refer to the emotional ejaculations of myself, my DM, my DMIL or some other adult woman (never men, interestingly), in RL, on more than one occasion . I can't use youthful innocence as an excuse, either because I'm well old .

I didn't know! I will consider my choice of words a little more carefully in future.

Fucking hell Sriacha!

Adult women? Bloody fucking hell!