10/03/12- Very public meltdown,

I went to a large park today and S wanted to play on a large climbing frame with slides on it. She cannot get up it alone so has to be helped. She knows people should wait their turn so was getting very flustered because other children were impatiently pushing past her. I helped her up while she loudly announced 'He cannot come up yet mummy, he has to wait.' She headed straight towards the way for the highest slides. I shouted up 'Try these slides first sweetheart because you might get stuck on that bit.' It fell on deaf ears. She tried to climb but due to her poor coordination and anxiety she was stuck and scared to move up or down. She started to shout and cry and when another child went past she hit out at them, not because she is naughty and wanted to hurt them but because her stress levels were so high she had lost all self control and could not longer cope with her surroundings. I had to leave her sister in her pram and climb up to get her.
You might think Mummy to the rescue problem solved. Right? Wrong! When in 'meltdown' she is very contrary, she did not want my help but couldn't do it alone! I was faced with trying to reason with a child who was on a ledge screaming and crying and repeating 'I can't get up there mummy' over and over again a child I knew would not happily fall into mummy's arms relieved to be rescued but would go rigid and kick and fight if touched. Unfortunately two children seeing a gap squeezed through it. This totally broke the 'wait your turn' rule we have had to embed into her and caused her to start lashing out! I had no choice but to lift her down knowing it would enrage her. Let me tell you now a 4 year old in meltdown is hard to carry on level ground let alone while trying to navigate a climbing frame. I had to move her for her own and other children's safety!
Once on solid ground I have to leave her to cry shout and scream until she had recollected herself, before I could even attempt to talk to her. I could see the glares and the head shakes, I could hear the tuts! I saw the look of horror on their faces when the mummy did not tell her child off for her 'naughty' behaviour but instead passed (this child clearly too old for preschool toys) an iggle piggle soft toy and encouraged her to rub it against her face to calm her down!

If only they went away and read about ASD instead of thinking how much of a better parent than me they are!