By Jacob Leach
In this blog, you will learn:
What can trigger a SEND ‘meltdown’.
Strategies for SEND Tutors to support students with SEND during a ‘meltdown’.
Where the latest SEND Tutor jobs are and how to apply for them.
The Cambridge Dictionary defines a ‘meltdown’ as ‘an occasion when a person becomes extremely upset and is not able to deal with a problem or situation’. A meltdown is often an involuntary response to overwhelm and in children and adults can display itself as a temporary loss of behavioural control.
For students with SEND, a meltdown can be a ‘flight or fight’ response and used as a coping mechanism for sensory overload. This temporary loss of control should not be categorised as naughty behaviour but seen as an indication that a student is struggling to self-regulate. When experiencing a meltdown, students might cry, shout, shut down or lash out physically.
If you’re a SEND Tutor looking for ways to support students during a meltdown, we’re uncovering what can trigger such episodes and the useful strategies required for calming a situation.
What can trigger a SEND meltdown?
All children and young people can experience emotional outbursts from time to time, but for those with SEND, such reactions can be more frequent and difficult to manage. For neurodivergent students, including those who have autism, dyslexia and ADHD, meltdowns can be triggered by a number of factors, including:
Sensory overload.
Changes to routine.
Cognitive or emotional overload.
Fatigue.
Environmental demands.
Physical discomfort.
Social misunderstandings.
Sensory overload
If a student with SEND is exposed to a greater amount of sensory input than their brain can process, this could result in a meltdown. Too much light, noise, touch or movement can be difficult for those with autism, ADHD or any other neurodiversity to handle.
Changes to routine
Individuals with SEND often thrive off structure and predictability helps them to feel safe and secure. Any disruptions to routine or unexpected changes can be difficult to process and the confusion, anxiety and stress caused by this can manifest itself as a meltdown.
Cognitive or emotional overload
Cognitive overload can occur when a student with SEND is faced with too much information or given complex instructions at once. If their brain struggles to compute the information or instruction, they may begin to feel frustrated and anxious, which can affect their coping ability. Similarly, emotional overload can disrupt an individual's ability to manage their feelings.
Fatigue
When a neurodivergent student is physically or mentally tired, their ability to cope with sensory input is reduced and tasks that are normally manageable can quickly feel overwhelming. Should students struggle to manage this overwhelm, they may experience a meltdown.
Environmental demands
When environmental factors, such as noise, pace of work or classroom expectations become too much for a student with SEND, they may begin to feel pressured. This overwhelm can lead to an involuntary outburst of heightened emotion.
Physical discomfort
If a student with SEND is experiencing physical discomfort, such as an illness, hunger, temperature changes or restrictive clothing, they might begin to feel irritable. As irritability builds into frustration, this could trigger a meltdown as a way of expressing distress.
Social misunderstandings
If a student with SEND is struggling to communicate their own feelings or interpret someone else’s, they might begin to feel frustrated. Students with autism and other neurodiversities can often find reading facial expressions and distinguishing tone of voice challenging. As a result they might feel isolated and struggle to manage their own emotions.
Strategies for SEND Tutors to support students with SEND during a meltdown
If a student with SEND experiences a meltdown, SEND Tutors must support them in a calm and controlled manner. The approach to supporting students can vary depending on the individuals needs and the circumstances at hand, but generally, SEND Tutors are recommended to:
Stay calm - Shouting at a student will only exacerbate their fight or flight response and might cause meltdowns to escalate. A calm tone of voice and gentle movements are needed for reducing heightened anxiety.
Keep communication open - In the midst of a meltdown, students with SEND might not be able to speak or explain their feelings, however SEND Tutors should communicate through reassurance. Whilst using language to calm a child is recommended, it’s important not to overwhelm them with information as this could contribute to sensory overload and prolong a meltdown.
Prioritise safety - If a child is lashing out physically during a meltdown, SEND Tutors need to ensure their safety. This means avoiding cornering them and giving them space so they do not hurt themselves or others.
Don’t punish outbursts - It’s important to remember that meltdowns in students with SEND are often involuntary, therefore SEND Tutors should refrain from punishing students. Doing so could contribute to further emotional outbursts.
Reduce sensory input - Often meltdowns stem from sensory overload which means during an episode, SEND Tutors are advised to reduce sensory input as much as possible. This could mean turning off lights, minimising noise or making use of noise-cancelling headphones.
Remove triggers that led to the breakdown - If possible it is wise to remove any triggers that might have caused a meltdown or could lead to a future outburst.
Be respectful - SEND Tutors should avoid causing further upset by being respectful of a student's needs. This means reducing unnecessary input from adults or other students. The more people involved in the moment, the more overwhelmed a student might feel.
Use sensory regulation tools - Visual aids, fidget tools, weighted lap pads and calm corners are all essential methods for helping students self-regulate.
Mainstream and SEND Tutor recruitment specialists
As specialist mainstream and SEND Tutor recruiters, we provide schools and local authorities with experienced tutors to support children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), those who are vulnerable, and those whose educational journeys have been disrupted. Our tutors support a wide range of needs including SEMH, autism, ADHD and those with EHCPs, as well as learners who are out of school or in alternative provision.
If you're struggling to recruit the right talent, simply request a call back and one of our experienced recruiters will contact you to discuss how we can help.
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