Published on 12, July, 2020
Hello my 15 year old son has recently been diagnosed with autism and has been suffering from a significant burnout. Previously he had what at the time I believed to be panic attacks but now he is having massive meltdowns which are really scary. During them he is completely out of control, self injures, shouts out disturbing intrusive thoughts and does odd things like hiding under mats, comando crawling along the floor. Is this sort of behaviour usual during a meltdown? Has anyone experienced something similar? I am concerned he has other MH conditions. Trying to seek psychiatric support via CAMHS which is just hopeless.
1. try to minimise the triggers. Lighting, sound, textures of clothes, food, number of people / conversations going on etc...
2. Private consult is the way to go, if you can afford it. The NHS is utterly f-ing useless. I say 'consult', because the purpose would be to get an autism experts opinion on the best route forward.
Thank you for the advice - yes agree re NHS!!
I found a good therapist through the directory on the "Psychology Today" website. Perhaps try there. I think the NAS also has a directory somewhere.
That sounds lovely! My son has had art therapy in the past which he loved we might return to that but I feel like we need some special autism therapy /psychiatry first
Sorry I should have mentioned also. My son see a therapist who specialises in autism. He loves it as it’s at a farm and he helps groom the horses and he does a few jobs. It’s a great distraction which helps him to have a conversation about what’s going on in his world.