#Adhd meltdown vs panic attack how to#

If your child has a fast metabolism, a drug that is designed to last for eight to 12 hours may only last for six.

Address the cause of ADHD rebound.ĪDHD rebound happens when your child’s body processes-or metabolizes-stimulant medication too quickly. These strategies can help alleviate the rebound effect, and help parents manage the after-school witching hour. But, it can occur with long-acting medications, too. It’s most commonly seen with short-acting ADHD medications-such as Ritalin, Adderall, or Focalin. The intense behavior change that you see in your child for approximately 60 minutes at the end of a dose is the brain’s reaction to stimulant medication leaving the body. The flare of symptoms at the tail end of a medication’s effectiveness are called ADHD medication rebound, or sometimes just ADHD rebound. What many parents don’t realize is: This doesn’t have to be your daily nightmare. Epic meltdowns ensue-after which it can take hours to get back on track. Just when it’s time to sit down and start homework, the daily dose of ADHD medication wears off. Your child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or ADD) gets home from school tired and hungry. Our Include Autism toolkit contains resources to help autistic young people describe situations that might cause them to feel overwhelmed.Share on Facebook Facebook Logo Share on Twitter Twitter Logo Share on LinkedIn LinkedIn Logo Copy URL to clipboard Share Icon URL copied to clipboard A shutdown can be like a reset for an autistic person. The best remedy for a shutdown is giving the person the space to rest, recuperate and recover without placing additional demands on them. The best way to find out what causes someone to have a meltdown is to ask them or someone who knows them well. It can be very difficult and distressing to support someone during a meltdown, so knowing what to do in advance is key. For example, allowing children and young people to wear ear defenders in noisy rooms or dimming the lights to create a less harsh ambience. Preemptive planning can really help to mitigate against triggers that might lead to a meltdown.įor example, you can reduce anxiety related to uncertainty about certain situations by providing information about what to expect in advance - such as a visual timetable or agenda.Īnother way to reduce the likelihood of a meltdown is to create environments that don't overwhelm the senses.

#Adhd meltdown vs panic attack how to#

How to help prevent meltdowns and shutdowns As they are at a reduced ability to process what is going on they may struggle to communicate as they normally do, which can mean they are mute or have a lot of difficult forming coherent sentences. In a shutdown an autistic person might not seem themselves because they're so overwhelmed that their focus has shifted to the basic functions. Watch Ambitious about Autism’s Youth Patrons explain what a shutdown is and how to support someone when it happens.Īn analogy for a shutdown is like a computer trying to turn on but it can't because there isn't enough power to do so. situations that are very active or physical.situations that require a lot of thinking.They are often the result of situations with high demand in one or a few of the following areas: If meltdowns are equivalent to the fight response, then shutdowns are similar to the freeze response. This is because the person has been in a distressing situation and has had a highly adrenalised and emotionalised response. Meltdowns are very physically tiring and emotionally draining for the individual. That's why it's really important to minimise the risk of this happening - both for the person and those around them. While in a meltdown a person can be injurious to others or themselves because of the extreme state of anxiety their body is in. They are a reaction to a highly distressing situation or environment. It's important to understand that meltdowns are not 'temper tantrums'. Watch Ambitious about Autism’s Youth Patrons explain what a meltdown is and how to support someone when it happens. When an autistic person is having a meltdown they often have increased levels of anxiety and distress which are often interpreted as frustration, a 'tantrum' or an aggressive panic attack. Meltdowns are similar to the fight response. If the person cannot escape that leaves two options: either fight or freeze. When someone is in this situation their reaction is either flight, fight or freeze. Meltdowns are often the result of situations which are highly stimulating or create high levels of anxiety which feel like they can't be escaped.