2/17/11 Meltdown

Today N had a meltdown. When she had her first evaluation (still waiting on a follow-up), the developmental pediatrician asked me if she had tantrums, to which I replied "all the time". He asked what would happen if I were to walk away. I told him I was unsure of how to answer, because I never leave her during a tantrum. I said "I guess she'd follow me.", which was the wrong thing to say because that there is what differentiates a child who is having a tantrum between a child who is having a meltdown. I walked away during a meltdown today, and it continued without my presence. I went back in with her though.. I can't just let her cry there by herself. I'm still new at this but it just doesn't seem right.

Anyhow.. the cause. N told me she had to go to the bathroom. When she has to go, she has to go! I quickly got up and took her, and she insisted on doing it herself. Having just put a pile of laundry on the bathroom floor (in front of the toilet) there was no room for her to get on the toilet by herself, and she was wearing a very long dress that made it difficult for her. N is also very uncoordinated and lacks spatial awareness, and she has great difficulty with gross motor skills like getting on top of a tall toilet. SO.. I tried to help her up, and hold her dress. Instant meltdown. There was much flailing and screaming and kicking, she fell off of the toilet (fortunately onto the pile of laundry!) and curled up in a ball between the toilet and the wall and had the biggest meltdown I've ever seen her have. She slowly came out of it, but it took about 20 minutes. She had stripped her clothes off in the process, and they were replaced with a t-shirt and fresh underwear. About an hour later she decided to try to go to the bathroom again, and with her daddy's help (hoisting her onto the toilet) she was able to go without a meltdown.