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?

I have two children, neither of whom have SN, but we have always used the word meltdown to describe those real emotional outbursts that are usually connected to tiredness, frustration or over stimulation.
I did not know it was a term linked to autism or ASD however, I will continue to use it unashamedly as it describes perfectly the state that the boys sometimes get into and is also a term that they understand.
Sometimes I do feel that there is a shared thinking on MN that unless your child has SN then they only have "naughty tamtrums" that are to do with them getting their own way or a sign that they are spoiled.

As others have said, nobody owns the word. It was originally used in a 'tantrum' meaning to describe a child with autism being 'in crisis' (good expression, might pinch that) but as all these expressions do, it has started to become MS. I still don't think those with NT DC really understand the difference, though. A full on autistic meltdown has nothing to do with being 'overtired' or 'over emotional.'

what other term should they used temper tantrum hissy fit I think it explains really well what happened , people instantly recognise the term when they read/hear it , well most do

But thats the point Ellen isn't it? If you dont have an autistic child you are not really going to understand the difference. But it doesn't matter. If a parent describes their child as having a meltdown they simply mean that they are more out of control than is normal for them.

The fact that people with NT (and I am assuming, hopefully correctly. that NT means normal toddler?) use the word doesn't take anything away from the fact that it means something dfferent to other people.

Its a bit like someone typing on the pc "I have a migraine" - well actually no you haven;t because if you did you would not be sitting at the pc typing it - but to them its something worse than a normal headache for them

'The fact that people with NT (and I am assuming, hopefully correctly. that NT means normal toddler?)'

No, it means NeuroTypical as opposed to NeurologicallyDiverse. On or off the spectrum.

oops - really? lol well then I have misunderstood the whole thread LOL but I stil lstand by what i say - just substitute my NT for normal toddlers ;)

I think there is a difference between a temper tantrum (over wanting something/not getting own way) and a meltdown (emotional overload/being overwhelmed and unable to calm down).

I am sure a meltdown in an autistic child is different to that in a non-autistic child, but using the term isn't taking away anything from the autistic experience.

Shouldn't really venture off SN board with my abbreviations! NT is such a common term for me I forget that it isn't common parlance. Neurotypical is a much more accurate and pleasant term than 'normal' which sort of implys my DS2 isn't 'normal.'

I think I used mundane on another thread, which is how my DS describes ordinary people.

Not 'muggles' then, Fallen?

He's just given me the reference for the term, from Harry Potter.

'The Philosophy of the Mundane: Why the Muggles Prefer Not to Know is a book written by Professor Mordicus Egg.
Published in 1963, the book examines the Muggle tendency to be able to ignore magical happenings, even with the most flimsy of excuses'

It used to astound him that people didn't notice or prioritise the things they saw in the way that he did.

Oh gosh, I do hate these games of who's got the hardest life.

Of course NT kids can have meltdowns . Small children are not overendowed with reason and self discipline, SN or no.

Back to depends on your definition of meltdown, princess.

Yes, that's true. My dd once asked for a biscuit and didn't say please. I nearly called the rozzers as I was so terrified by her out of control behaviour.

Or in other words, I disagree.

'Small children are not overendowed with reason and self discipline, SN or no.'

My small child is 6' and 12 stone. You disagree that people have different definitions as to what constitutes a meltdown?

So to whoever said the word isn't 'restricted', well, as you can see - yes it is restricted.

Either you're allowed to use it, or you're not. It seems.

And in who's world is a strapping 12-stone, 6-footer a small child...??

I think I was pointing out that meltdowns in an autistic sense are not small children lacking in self-discipline. They are a different thing altogether.
No one can stop you using it, but they can feel irritated if they feel it's being used inappropriately. It's an opinion about a definition.

I think the problem some people have is that when people use the word for normal child behaviour it can make it harder for people, adults and children, with autism. I think they feel it's hard enough to try and get people to understand what you experience without the word you use being appropriated to mean something which doesn't even touch on what you have to endure.

I suppose the fact that "meltdown" was appropriated from the nuclear plant industry does indicate that language changes and words that were once specific to a certain group can become common parlance. What is the term that a psychologist would use to describe a meltdown in a person with autism? I assume not meltdown as that sounds quite slangy?

Sorry I meant that "language changes and words that once meant one thing, are now applied to something else."

I use the word meltdown to describe my sons 'autistic tantrums'.

I didn't say your son was a small child. I was talking about NT children who are more than capable of having meltdowns when small.

To suggest otherwise is bollocks and (IMO) actually a bit dismissive of their emotional experiences. Toddlers and primary aged children can become extremely overwhelmed by their feelings. It's not all foot stamping in the sweet aisle out of sheer naughtiness.

My ds had a meltdown today as we went to a different park and then left without a pre-warning to prepare ds. It resulted in dp and I both trying to restrain him and carry him to the car without him hurting himself, we were both kicked and screamed at, I was scratched and punched repeatedly too. At school his meltdowns in the past have required him to be physically restraint by 2 members of staff, he's only 5 years old. He sometimes has tantrums when he doesn't get to watch a film he likes or get ice cream. I'd take a tantrum over a meltdown any day.