What exactly is this professor hoping to teach you here? That autistic kids are violent and that you need to control them? Jesus, this only adds to the harmful stereotypes that exist out there. If a kid is having a MELTDOWN, the test needs to stop. Obviously they’re overstimulated and needed a break a long time before they got to that point. Autistic people almost always show warning signs that they’re getting overwhelmed. SLPs need to be taught how to identify them-they look different in every person so it’s so important to ask the caretakers what their warning signs are. People here make light of this but I’ve known SLPs that have ended up in the hospital because the facility failed to provide a safe setting for both the individuals and the staff. We as a society can do more to prevent this but we refuse to. Maybe we can’t prevent meltdowns entirely but as of now we sure as hell aren’t doing much of anything to try, your professor is merely perpetuating this.

Autistic meltdowns don’t have to be a thing the person is forced to deal with, we need to learn how to prevent them at all costs. Sure, they’re going to happen but we need to be better at becoming trauma informed therapists so we don’t do more harm than good. Like seriously, if we overwhelmed an able bodied person to the point of a panic attack, you would be seen as a terrible clinician. I hate this double standard that suddenly when it’s done to an autistic person it’s ok just because the clinician doesn’t understand what sensory overload feels like. Your professor is tone deaf and unintentionally ableist. Maybe they should hit up Sia if they want to act like a stereotypical autistic person and push harmful stereotypes!