An autistic shutdown differs from a meltdown. Meltdowns are expressed externally. Often confused with tantrums, they are a reaction to intense feelings of being overwhelmed, distressed, or dysregulated. The intense response of a meltdown causes an autistic person to temporarily lose all control of their behavior. An autistic shutdown is internal, a more muted response to extreme overload or stress.…| Autism Awareness
Elopement refers to the act of leaving a designated area without permission, supervision, or the knowledge of those responsible for the individual. In the context of autism, elopement involves autistic individuals wandering away, running or bolting from safe and supervised environments, putting their safety at risk. The Curriculum for Autism lists the following as examples of elopement: Climbing out of…| Autism Awareness
Autistic individuals may have difficulty with planning and organizational skills because of challenges with executive functions. Planning skills involve the ability to think ahead, set goals, and create a strategy to accomplish tasks or activities. Organizational skills involve managing time, materials, and information in a structured manner. Both of these skills are essential for autistic individuals to navigate daily activities…| Autism Awareness
All behavior is viewed through a judgmental lens. This lens is influenced by several things: Our past experience – how our parents disciplined us, how we parent our own children, the culture/environment we were raised in Our beliefs – Do we believe that children should act and react in a certain way? Our knowledge and understanding – of neurological differences,…| Autism Awareness
