Autistic toddlers cry frequently due to sensory overload from lights, sounds, or textures, frustration from communication difficulties, anxiety from unpredictable routines, and general emotional dysregulation, as crying becomes their primary way to signal distress when words fail, making them feel overwhelmed by internal feelings or external triggers. Crying often signals unmet needs, intense emotions, or overwhelmed processing, not just typical toddler needs.
One of the primary reasons autistic children might cry frequently is due to sensory sensitivities. Children with autism often experience heightened sensitivity to sensory stimuli, such as sounds, lights, textures, and smells. This can lead to sensory overload, where the child is overwhelmed by too much sensory input.
The "6-second rule" for autism is a communication strategy where a speaker pauses for about six seconds after asking a question or giving information, giving the autistic person extra time to process it without feeling rushed, which helps reduce anxiety and allows for a more thoughtful response, reducing frustration for both parties. Instead of repeating or rephrasing, which can be confusing, you wait, and if needed, repeat the exact same words after the pause.
Maintain a predictable routine to help your child feel secure. Use visual aids to offer clear expectations and reduce anxiety around triggers.
The methods they suggested was Cry it Out or Controlled crying – two techniques I would never recommend for an autistic and anxious child – I will explain why as we go on. None of these methods helped and instead left me as a parent in a world of guilt and frustration for allowing my child to cry for hours each night.
Autistic children and teens need support to recognise overwhelmed feelings and know what to do. You might be able to help your autistic child avoid meltdowns by stepping in when they start to get agitated. During a meltdown, stay calm, give your child space, avoid saying too much, and wait.
A child with mild autism can ultimately lead a very “normal”, productive, and independent life. With early intervention, a child with autism can learn the skills needed for successful navigation in communication and social interaction with peers in school.
Yelling at an autistic child can cause confusion, fear, and emotional distress that may last far longer than you'd expect. Because autistic kids often process language, tone, and emotions differently, loud voices can be overwhelming—sometimes even physically painful.
Understanding the 6 stages of an autism meltdown can help parents, caregivers, and educators respond with empathy and support.
Calming Techniques:
Teach and practice calming techniques like deep breathing exercises, mindfulness, or progressive muscle relaxation to help manage sensory overload when it occurs.
Around 90% of autism cases are attributed to genetic factors, meaning autism is highly heritable, with many different genes contributing, rather than a single cause, often interacting with environmental influences during early brain development, though specific environmental factors don't cause it but can increase risk. Twin studies show strong genetic links, with concordance rates between 60-90% in identical twins, and research points to complex interactions of many genes and prenatal/perinatal factors.
There's no single "hardest" age for autism; challenges shift across developmental stages, with preschool (2-5) often tough due to noticeable differences in social/language skills, elementary (6-10) marked by growing academic/social demands, and adolescence (11-17) frequently being overwhelming due to complex social pressures, puberty, and identity formation, say Bluebell ABA Therapy and Blossom ABA Therapy. While early childhood (ages 3-6) sees initial progress for many, this often stalls around age six, a critical turning point where increased support is crucial, according to research, notes The Transmitter.
Chinning is a form of repetitive self-stimulatory behavior (stimming) that you may notice in children or adults with autism. It involves pressing, rubbing, or holding the chin against objects, surfaces, or even hands to gain sensory input or comfort.
While every child is unique, research shows that an authoritative parenting style—characterized by warmth, structure, and clear boundaries—is often most beneficial for autistic children.
What are the early warning signs for autism spectrum disorder? The early warning signs for an ASD include concerns about a child's social skills, communication, and restricted or repetitive patterns of behaviors, interests, activities, and emotional regulation.
However, autistic meltdowns are not age-related and they may happen at any age. Many autistic adults, especially the higher functioning ones, may learn some strategies to prevent meltdowns and cope with them.
Avoid asking questions, giving information or instructions, or using restrictive methods. Any of these would likely make the situation worse. Different people will have different triggers and responses, the best thing is to discuss their needs when they're calm.
Creating a calming environment tailored to the child's sensory needs can significantly reduce autism crying episodes. Each child with autism has unique sensory sensitivities, so it's essential to observe and understand their specific triggers and preferences.
Interoception and Autism
This means we might have difficulty accurately perceiving our internal body signals, we may over-feel these signals or simply have difficulty differentiating between body signals and emotional signals, for example, struggling to discern if our discomfort is due to hunger or anxiety.
Set a positive example for your child by maintaining the behavior you'd like them to mirror. And now for consistency. Consistency is the key to safe, effective discipline. Most children with autism respond well to structured discipline, perhaps due to their desire for sameness and routine.
What Not To Do with an Autistic Child: 11 Things to Consider
They are often slow to speak, may echo words, make meaningless sounds, and display odd or unusual behaviors. One common behavior is that children with autism often scream or have tantrums whenever they are unhappy about something.
Change in severity of autism symptoms and optimal outcome
One key finding was that children's symptom severity can change with age. In fact, children can improve and get better. “We found that nearly 30% of young children have less severe autism symptoms at age 6 than they did at age 3.
Top 10 Calming Strategies for Autism
There is not just one cause of ASD. Many different factors have been identified that may make a child more likely to have ASD, including environmental, biologic, and genetic factors.