Meltdowns Vs. Shutdowns

 

Although many people are aware of meltdowns in autism, the concept of shutdowns in autism may be less known. In a meltdown situation, the child with autism experiences sensory overload and may become emotionally distraught. While this behavior may look like a temper tantrum, the child is not trying to exert control and get his or her way; the child is out of control and feeling overwhelmed. Similarly, in a shutdown, the person with autism is in a stressful situation and responds with behavior that may be misinterpreted. While some may think the child is simply avoiding an unpleasant or difficult task, the shutdown behavior is actually a physical response to certain triggers.

Until yesterday, when I read a fascinating online article entitled “Shutdowns and Stress in Autism,” I was not aware of this behavior commonly found in adults and children with high functioning autism. However, after reading this study by Ingrid M. Loos Miller and Hendricus G. Loos, I realized that Alex exhibits shutdown behaviors at times. [To read this article, please click here. Thanks to the Facebook page “Regarding Caroline” for sharing this article.]

Describing a case study of a young girl with autism who was exhibiting shutdown behaviors at school, the authors note that her behaviors followed a predictable pattern triggered by social stress when she was expected to perform difficult tasks. She would first look away, then rub her eyes, keep her eyes closed, and then become limp, and finally would fall asleep for ten minutes to two hours. The article also lists more than thirty behaviors in Appendix 3 associated with shutdowns, including staring, yawning, asking to rest, and refusing to comply with verbal requests, all of which I have seen Alex do sometimes when he had to do something he found difficult.

The authors note that settings for these shutdown behaviors include school, play dates, meeting strangers, and conversations with adults that asked the child to recall recent events and to describe what happened and what the child liked. Specifically, the authors observe, “…the most stressful events are those in which the child is expected to ‘perform’ using language.” While these stressful situations may cause shutdown behaviors, the authors note that “stress instability” may also cause meltdowns, such as sensory overload or aggressive outbursts.

Because of the difficulties with eye contact, social skills, and language, children with autism may have social phobia, the authors suggest. When an adult pressures a child with autism to respond verbally to a difficult question, the child exhibits an abnormal physical response to stress. As the stress hormones rise, the child shuts down, allowing the body to recover. As the authors explain, sustained high levels of stress hormones can damage the brain, impairing verbal memory, social function, and sensory processing, and causing language deficits. In addition, rhythmic motion, such as rocking, may be needed for calming. All of these issues are associated with autism, perhaps because stress hormones have impacted the brain negatively.

While children with autism are often encouraged to work through their stress, this method is not helpful, according to the authors. These children often remember other stressful events in their lives, and a vicious cycle occurs. Instead, the authors recommend low stress approaches. For example, adults may need to be more flexible in dealing with a child who is experiencing stress. To help control social pressures, adults should help the child focus on the positive, give the child more time to respond, and allow the child to work alone. Social stories may also be effective in dealing with stress. The child may also need to take breaks to stretch, to take deep breaths, or to rest. In addition, breaking down tasks into smaller parts may be easier and less stressful for the child.

In Appendix 2 of the article, the authors have collected information from adults with autism regarding shutdown behavior. For instance, these adults describe feelings associated with a shutdown: “suddenly very sleepy,” “confused,” “like a panic attack,” and other similar details expressing their physical reactions to overwhelming stress. Further, they note that being told to “get over it” or having to continue in the stressful situation makes it worse. Instead, they need quiet time alone to relax––anywhere from a few minutes to over an hour, depending on the severity of the stress.

Perhaps the most critical point the authors make in this article hinges on what a person with autism needs to cope with stress. First, the person must recognize the signs of stress, such as suddenly feeling fatigued. Next, the person must learn strategies to help reduce stress, including taking a break and being alone. This ability to “self-manage,” the authors assert, is a “pivotal skill” needed in life.

What I found most interesting in this article is gaining understanding why Alex sometimes suddenly becomes very tired during conversations. Clearly, he is in shutdown mode. The strategies his therapists have taught him for coping with anxiety mirror those suggested in this article. As he has matured, he often prefers to be alone to deal with stress, and with an opportunity to go to another room and be quiet, he quickly recovers and can rejoin the conversation.

Hopefully, this information regarding shutdown behaviors will become more widely known to parents, therapists, and teachers who work with children and adults who have autism. By understanding situations that trigger shutdowns, the physical reactions, and ways to help people with autism cope with stress, those who work with and care about children and adults with autism can teach them tools to deal with things that overwhelm them, allowing them to manage stress and to experience life to the fullest.

“Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding.” Proverbs 3:13