Can meltdowns start in the teenage years?

[Punxsutawney]

I have found much info and support on the special needs boards as Ds goes through the diagnosis process but this is a new one for us.

Ds has never really had what I would describe as meltdowns, he sometimes would get a little fraught but normally manageable. He would shut down more often. Recently he seems to be displaying more meltdown behaviours.

Tonight he has become very distressed because he left his pe bag in his locker. He was visably distraught, hitting himself and getting very upset. He was calling himself stupid and other really negative things. This kind of behaviour is new, it seems late for this to start as he has not really done it before. Is this just another sign that he is not coping? He was also upset with his school report today, although it was all fine. I am going to email the school later to see if they can reassure him about the report. What else can we do to help him? I'm lost to be honest.

Kids with undiagnosed autism rock on until they can't cope any longer.

For some that's very early childhood, others nursery, others primary school, others on the transition to secondary school, others when the pressure cranks up for GCSEs, others at A levels and others at Uni and others later in adulthood.

The outward signs that an overwhelmed autistic child or adult isn't coping are behavioural, generally the more extreme the behaviour, the more overwhelm is felt, usually ending in meltdown or shutdown.

Have a look through some of the homeschool threads on SNChat and SNChildren, most of the kids in those threads have got to a certain stage and then been unable to cope with school, their ages vary wildly.

Brilliant post by BlankTimes, summed up perfectly.

What to do now? Lots of reassurance, but space too. Nothing planned today, give him time to recover, people can be fraught for a good time after meltdowns, just need time to come down to earth.

(I'm currently trying to fight off a meltdown, need to take my own advice.)

Thanks NoBaggyPants

If you respond to firm pressure, is anyone around to give you a hug?
I'll send you a virtual one if that's any use, then keep out of your way and give you enough space and quiet to get yourself back to whatever's ordinary for you.

Thanks, you are right. Ds is just not coping as well as he was. I don't think the end of term helps either. So many changes and disruption.

We just haven't seen he exhibiting that kind of behaviour before. Plenty of other characteristics but not this. We did tell the school how distressed he was, I want them to know what is actually going on, even if they don't see all of it. I have written on another thread the length of time and issues we are having trying to get a diagnosis so that isn't helping.

Yes, hope you feel alright Baggy, it must be a scary feeling.