Classroom Meltdown

May 2008

Ryan, now six years old, completely trashed his classroom. This was the biggest most violent episode we have seen to this point. I started a food diary and once again turned my attentions to my suspicions that several food colourings, but particularly the preservative E211 Sodium Benzoate, seem to cause him to be extremely hyperactive. I paid for Ryan to have a full set of allergy tests done on Wednesday 25 June 2008. We found from those that Ryan has many intolerances to food, the worst of which is Gluten, closely followed by Wheat and all Dairy products. Also Oats, Barley, Oranges, and Yeast.

I took this information to my GP as I wanted to request a more detailed assessment for behaviour due to recent developments in school. The GP however did not agree that food intolerances even exist let alone have any impact on behaviour. He did try a refer Ryan for a behaviour assessment but was told they would not see someone as young as Ryan.

Unfortunately Ryan trashed his classroom again on Wednesday 11 June and was this time temporarily excluded from school. Over the next few months he had several bouts of illness and by keeping a food diary I was happily convinced that food was indeed a big issue for him and there seemed to be a direct correlation between foods and tantrums. That was however until Thursday 16 October 2008, when he again trashed class room and there was no known trigger. Diet had been excellent and behaviour had been better in school. Little did we know there was worse to come.

I kept detailed diary entries to help me identify triggers to Ryan's behaviour changes. I listed my findings on a separate page about e-numbers.

Autistic Meltdown 

Ryan was again temporarily excluded for throwing a chair at the headmaster. Ryan was able to communicate enough to say he hates school. No one likes him, the class is too noisy, the lights hurt his eyes. Said he wished he had not been born and that his head is too full of memories. He can’t concentrate when the teacher asks a question because he keeps remembering other things.

I took Ryan back to the GP again who this time did agree to refer him to the Paediatric team. I went back to school to discuss this with the head but Ryan refused to get out of the car. He was literally petrified of going back into the school. I got back home and we had a lovely evening. We did some work in a literacy workbook and watched a documentary on Orcas.

He asked for a biscuit and I agreed he could have one. He took 4. When I asked him to put 3 back he began a 20-minute meltdown. Kicking, hitting, biting. Screaming he wanted to kill himself. Dadi Skilts had to restrain him until he eventually cried himself out. Now I know you are all reading this thinking that it is bad parenting. 6 year olds don’t have tantrums like that. Let me assure you though, these are not like terrible twos tantrums. These are full-blown meltdowns. Where stresses build up inside to an unmanageable level and eventually simply explode out.

Fizzy Pop Bottle

If you would for a minute indulge me please and think of Ryan as a fizzy bottle of pop. All-day he had stresses building in school. Thoughts he can’t filter – SHAKE the bottle a little bit. Lights hurt his eyes – SHAKE the bottle a little bit more. Not understanding the social commands put on him in a school environment – SHAKE that bottle a little bit more. Eventually the teacher or head asked him to do something and that was the equivalent of unscrewing that lid just a little way. 

A jet of fizz explodes out the sides and this equated to him throwing a chair. He was then excluded, I came to get him - (the lid is quickly tightened to stop the fizz). We go to GP – bottle gets shaken again. Back to school – shaken again. I ask him to put 3 biscuits back and at the same time effectively unscrew and remove the lid of the shaken bottle. You know what happens, fizz volcano, that is a meltdown.

This was a brilliant description that was explained to me when Ryan met his Educational Psychologist for the first time. I’ll introduce you to her later.