Every morning, for the past few weeks, my daughter has been having these meltdowns when it’s time to get out the door. Since she has to have one specific toy to take to daycare with her, I already have it sitting with my book bag, all ready for us to grab and go. Now she doesn’t want to just take that one toy, she has to search for more to take, which takes much longer to get out the door. I’m lifting bed sheets, looking under the bed, through the toy box, in the doll house, around the TV, just looking for one specific toy she has to have. You may think this is just too much, that I should just let it be. But how would you handle it? If I didn’t let her take this specific toy she’ll immediately throw herself on the floor and begin hitting herself…yes, these are her meltdowns. I’m not talking just light slaps, she has her hand in a fist and hits herself in the head or on her arms.

It doesn’t stop there. Once we found this toy, she runs outside and tosses it off the porch then sits down hard and begins to cry and hit herself because she wants the toy she tossed. I’m uncertain to how I should handle this but to go pick it up and give it to her. That only makes it worse as she wants to be the one picking it up. If I were to pick it up and hand it to her, her screams get louder and she hits herself harder. I then start to get embarrassed thinking the neighbors are probably thinking I’m hurting this poor child. I’m not physically hurting her and I won’t.

I’m at a lost for how to handle this situation. It makes me late for class each day, no matter how early I get us up and ready. She’s also become resilient in having me change her clothes. She refuses to use the potty anymore, so it’s back to diapers, to which she won’t let me change.

It’s like every month a new thing in her Autism emerges and it tests me to how I can cope or to how I can handle it. Some of the things I can handle and have showed her teachers at daycare how they too can handle the situation. But now it’s getting to a point I’m just stressed and completely worn down to tears and feel like having a meltdown myself. I know that can’t be the option. I have to stay strong and keep trudging and pray that I get through the rest of the day.

My daughter is only 3 1/2 but will she grow out of this? Or will it get worst? Parents with Autistic children I’m seeking your help, direction, tips, encouragement in how to handle situations such as these. What do you do to help your child get ready in the morning? Do you have a special routine? A particular way of going through your morning to insure a meltdown doesn’t happen?