Counting resulting in a meltdown

[rebl]

I think we might have identified another trigger for full on meltdown from ds. But its a very odd one. Counting. He goes mental when someone counts. He's currently upstairs with dh who is trying desperatly to keep him from self-harming now for 45mins. Just because I counted. This is now becoming a consistant trigger. Why? Seems such a random reason to have a major tantrum over.

We're meeting with his teacher tomorrow so I'll ask if there is any resistance to counting / numeracy at school but otherwise I can't see why he's displaying such an extreme reaction to this.

Counting down or counting up or both?
My DS used to flip if he felt counting was in any way related to him, as he felt under pressure to do something and he didn't know what, or whether he'd have enough time or get it right.

ooo teacher may have the answer. In DS school timeout consists of children in the corner counting down from 10 to 0, same strategy we use home.

Counting up, especially if it is related to him in anyway like you say Goblin. We and school count to 3 to give him time to stop doing something or to do something he's been asked to do but he's resisting. I do wonder if that has something to do with it. This time, like the last few times as well, I wasn't counting to him to stop or do anything, I was counting his trains this time when he flipped out.

Sand timer worked better for us when he was young, and giving a visual signal with fingers '5 minutes' '2 minutes' that sort of thing.
I've just asked him now if he remembered why he got stressed, and he said it used to make his chest hurt and he could feel his heart beating too loudly and he felt dizzy.
Which is how he reacts now if something disconcerts him unexpectedly.

Sandtimer is a good idea. He definatly looks panicky if someone starts panicky and then you can see him assessing the situation before he either relaxes or flips.

So now you know one of his triggers, you can work around it. It may not make sense to you, but it doesn't have to. It's enough to know that it is a significant stresser for him.