The Ten-Point Overload Scale

[chaoticidealism]

As I've said before, handling and preventing meltdowns is an important autistic life skill; and learning to predict them is a prerequisite to learning to prevent them. As we all probably already know, it's impossible to stop a meltdown once it happens--thus the focus on prevention.

Comments

[haddayr]

I cannot TELL you how helpful this post was to me. Thank you incredibly.

[anonymous]

Thank you. This post will help me anticipate my wife's actions more reliably. These definitions are very helpful to me. In fact I think that I'll use them to rate her 'stress scale' from my perspective twice a day. I'll do it in a data base so that I can graph. She is in self denial about her condition...so I need to do what I can without her participation.
Thanks again.

[anonymous]

This is a great tool. I have use the same kind of degree scale, but nothing this formal, when it comes to coping. I think that I will get started on that, and maybe that will help with my quality of life.

[libation]

Thank you for sharing this. I am a children's librarian and this definitely gives me more insight into what some of my kids are going through. It's difficult because my first impulse if I saw a child experiencing some of the things you talk about at higher levels of stress, would be to put a hand on their shoulder or crouch down close beside them. I will try to remember that physical contact or closeness of any kind could significantly escalate stress for some of my kids.

[chaoticidealism]

It does depend on the kid. Most neurotypical kids, when distressed, will calm if comforted by a parent. I've had at least one parent of an autistic tell me that her child responds well to a tight hug when overloaded (deep pressure, maybe?). Every child is different. But, yeah, as a general rule, meltdowns shouldn't be interfered with except to keep everyone safe. Plus, if you're mistaking a tantrum for a meltdown, then the worst you're doing is ignoring a tantrum.

[libation]

Good point. I learned early on in my career to be very tolerant and give the benefit of the doubt if a child was being disruptive or noisy. I kept after one parent of a disruptive child one day and as they left she very emotionally and angrily said "He's autistic!" Since then I have gone out of my way to act neutral, friendly and helpful to patrons if I feel this may be the case, to convey the message that I understand there may be a reason their child is acting this way and they should feel welcome and comfortable in the library, not embarrassed.

[anonymous]

Wow! This is really helpful for me. Thank you. I will let my family read this so they can know not to push me when I am getting overloaded.