Meltdowns, shutdowns, school avoidance and what they’re actually telling you
Behaviour that challenges is communication you haven’t decoded yet. From meltdowns vs tantrums to EBSA and the evidence behind CPS and low-demand approaches.
Articles in this guide
Low demand parenting: what it is, what it isn't, and what the evidence says
Low demand parenting saved our household. What it actually means, why it works for autistic children, and how to reduce demands without raising slobs.
School exclusions and autism: your rights and what to do
Autistic children are excluded at 2.5x the rate of their peers. Most parents don't know their rights. A clear, practical guide to what the law says and what to do next.
Autism meltdown vs tantrum: how to tell the difference and why it matters
They look similar from the outside. But meltdowns and tantrums have different causes, different neuroscience, and need completely different responses.
Autistic shutdown explained: the quiet crisis no one notices
Shutdowns are the silent counterpart to meltdowns. Your child goes blank, withdrawn, unreachable. Here's what's happening and how to help.
Why punishment doesn't work for autistic meltdowns (and what to do instead)
Consequences don't register when the brain is in crisis. The neuroscience of why discipline backfires under overwhelm, and what works instead.
EBSA: emotionally based school avoidance explained
Your child isn't refusing school. They can't attend. EBSA is anxiety-driven absence, and the research says punishment makes it worse.
After-school collapse: why your child falls apart at home and what it means
Calm at school, crisis at home. The research behind after-school collapse, why masking has a cost, and what helps at both ends of the day.
School avoidance and autism: why your child can't go and what to do about it
Your autistic child isn't refusing school. They can't tolerate it. The research on why, what to ask the school for, and when alternatives make sense.
Collaborative and Proactive Solutions: a parent's guide to CPS for neurodivergent children
A practical parent guide to Ross Greene's CPS model. What it is, how Plan B works, and how to adapt it for autistic, PDA, and ADHD children.