Tantrum
Tantrum is an outburst of childish or petulant behaviour in which the person may become angry, tearful or over react. However, a tantrum is not the same as a meltdown.
According to the PDA Association (201?),
"A child having a tantrum is likely to be very aware of who is watching and how they are reacting to their behaviour, tantrums tend to need an audience and are exploitative of those involved, seeking to manipulate a situation to their own ends. A child in a tantrum may act in a way to attempt to maintain a certain credibility with peers or adults, for example they may be oppositional but not wish to appear too immature. By contrast when in a meltdown a child is often very unaware of those around them and care little about what others think of their behaviour and be inattentive to how others react to it."
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About This Glossary
This glossary is designed to explain some of the jargon and gobbledygook used by some people when they talk about autism or research..
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