Discover our Free Printable to aid your journey Click here For parents and caregivers of autistic children, one of the most misunderstood challenges is navigating meltdowns vs tantrums . Outsiders may assume a child is “acting out” or “being difficult,” when in reality, the child may be overwhelmed, scared, or unable to express what they are feeling. Understanding the difference between a meltdown  and a tantrum  is important because the cause , intention , and support needed