ADHD Meltdowns

If you’ve ever stood in a shop, a school corridor, or your own kitchen while your child was overwhelmed and in the middle of a meltdown, and had no idea what to do, this book is for you. I’m a nurse and a parent, and I wrote ADHD Meltdowns to give you what I wish someone had given me: a clear plan for the moment itself, and gentle help to make meltdowns less frequent. It’s plain, practical and kind, and it comes with a toolkit you can fill in at home.

Meltdowns are exhausting. They’re loud, they come fast, and afterwards you can be left feeling shaken and wondering what you did wrong. You did nothing wrong.

ADHD Meltdowns starts on page one with a short plan for the middle of a meltdown, so if you’re reading this in the thick of one, you can begin right there. The rest of the book helps you understand what’s going on for your child, so you can feel steadier and the hard moments can start to ease.

You’ll find help with:

1. Understanding why meltdowns happen, and why they aren’t bad behaviour
2. Noticing the early signs and the things that often set them off
3. What to say, what to leave unsaid, and how to stay calm when you’re worn out
4. Reconnecting afterwards without lectures
5. Telling a tantrum, a meltdown and a shutdown apart
6. Getting through public places, school and family life
7. Looking after yourself, because you matter too

There’s also a toolkit at the back with a Meltdown Map, a signs tracker and a trigger checklist. You fill them in for your own child, so the advice turns into something you can actually use.

I wrote this as a nurse who is also a parent. I’ve tried to keep it simple, honest and kind, because you’re already doing a lot.

Why you might love it....

1. You can use it straight away. The one-page plan at the start helps even if you read nothing else.
2. It doesn’t blame you. There are no lectures here, just calm, real-life ideas.
3. It’s about fewer meltdowns as well as getting through them.
4. The toolkit makes it personal, because you fill it in for your child.
5. It thinks about the whole family: brothers and sisters, partners, school, and you.
6. It’s written by someone who knows both sides, as a nurse and as a parent.

Who it’s for:

Parents and carers of children with ADHD, and grandparents, teachers, and anyone who helps look after them.