Freedom from Meltdowns: Dr. Thompson's Solutions for Children with Autism (review)

Freedom from Meltdowns: Dr. Thompson's Solutions for Children with Autism is the third book by Dr. Travis Thompson to focus solely on the unique needs of children with autism. Dr. Thompson's previous works on the topic provided the reader with a wealth of information about Autism Spectrum Disorders in general. This work takes on the daunting task of explaining what causes emotional "meltdowns" and how to develop appropriate interventions to address them. In what could be a dense, heavy explanation of the development of problem behavior, Dr. Thompson has written a reader-friendly synopsis of the principles guiding human behavior. With more than 40 years of experience in the field, Dr. Thompson is able to gently guide parents, caregivers, and educators to an understanding of the "difficult behaviors" that are common among children with autism. With parents and caregivers in mind, Dr. Thompson explains how deficits in communication, a child's motivation, and a parent's response to behavior all build on one another to create what he calls "meltdowns". Contrary to the popular trend that dismisses meltdowns as mere tantrums from a spoiled child, Dr. Thompson impresses upon his readers the severity and serious nature of the meltdowns he sees in his patients. Dr. Thompson's writing style is clear and concise. That, coupled with the liberal use of case studies throughout the book, makes this book very accessible to its intended audience.

Dr. Thompson wastes no time in addressing what may frustrate parents the most. The first segment of the book "Meltdowns: Primary Contributing Factors," covers underlying health issues, trigger events, and the possible benefits (from the child's perspective) of having a meltdown. Building on that foundation, Dr. Thompson moves on to segments two and three, entitled "Developing an Action Plan" and "Situational, Family, and Cultural Considerations," respectively. A topical index only enhances the accessibility of the book.

Chapter one begins with a scenario familiar to many parents of children with autism. At a crowded shopping mall, a young child refuses to get on an escalator. People bump into him on their way up the escalator, and the child cries and screams, drawing more attention to himself and his family. Very quickly, the child is on the floor, kicking, screaming, and hitting himself, much to his parents' dismay and embarrassment. This scenario immediately draws the reader in, and furthermore, allows Dr. Thompson to explain parenting styles, emotional self-regulation, use of the term meltdown, and the "anatomy" of a meltdown in a straightforward manner. At the end of the chapter, it is made clear to the reader that meltdowns "reflect a combination of immature brain development and a learning history in which such outbursts have been rewarded" (p. 23).

In the second chapter, "Health Conditions Contributing to Meltdowns," asthma, gastrointestinal problems, sleep disturbances, diabetes and epilepsy are identified as common "health setting events". Dr. Thompson explains how these ailments can set the stage for meltdowns, and briefly, he shares examples from his vast clinical experience to demonstrate this. Included within this chapter are tables showing functional health event monitoring, asthma and epilepsy medications, and a checklist of setting events. Though not pertinent to all readers, those families affected by any one of the health concerns mentioned would benefit from the information shared by Dr. Thompson. In no way does the author use these health conditions as explanations for difficult behavior. Rather, he simply stresses the importance of addressing underlying health concerns prior to developing a plan of intervention. Left untreated, these disturbances could threaten the success of any intervention.

As a logical follow up to the setting events described in chapter two, chapter three introduces the reader to trigger events. Trigger events, those events which happen immediately before the meltdown, are examined within the framework of Obsessive Compulsive Disorders (OCD) and Social Anxiety. For the reader unfamiliar with these disorders, this chapter sheds light on how these disorders affect the challenges inherent...