A true meltdown is an autonomic storm. It is not a tantrum; it is the central nervous system losing complete control. During this event, the body is flooded with cortisol (the stress hormone) and adrenaline. When the physical screaming stops, the ‘hangover’ begins. The brain is now completely depleted of glucose and serotonin. If your child is sluggish, weeping, or easily triggered after an event they aren’t being ‘stubborn’— they are biologically empty. You cannot teach a lesson or place a demand on a depleted brain.
A true meltdown is an autonomic storm. It is not a tantrum; it is the central nervous system losing complete control. During this event, the body is flooded with cortisol (the stress hormone) and adrenaline. When the physical screaming stops, the ‘hangover’ begins. The brain is now completely depleted of glucose and serotonin. If your child is sluggish, weeping, or easily triggered after an event they aren’t being ‘stubborn’— they are biologically empty. You cannot teach a lesson or place a demand on a depleted brain.