Choose the response that matches the immediate risk

Section 1

Child Information

Full name, date of birth, autism diagnosis date, primary physician's name and contact.

Section 2

Communication Method

How does your child communicate? (verbal, AAC device, PECS, sign language). Note the device model and what vocabulary they can reliably access under stress.

Section 3

Known Triggers

List the top 3-5 triggers for your child. Include sensory triggers (sounds, textures, lights) and situational triggers (transitions, unexpected changes, specific people).

Section 4

Early Warning Signs

What does distress look like before a full meltdown? (hand-flapping increase, echolalia, pacing, covering ears, specific vocalisations). Document your child's unique signs.

Section 5

De-escalation Strategies

What works for your child? (weighted blanket, specific music, outdoor space, quiet room, preferred fidget). List 3-5 strategies in order of most effective.

Section 6

First Responder Information

Medications (name, dose, frequency, prescribing doctor). Allergies. Physical health conditions. Preferred approach by police/EMS if they need to interact with your child.

Identify and Reduce Triggers

Keep a crisis diary for a period that feels manageable. Note the time, location, what preceded the crisis, and how it resolved. Share observations with your child's behaviour therapist or psychologist; patterns may or may not be clear.

Access Behaviour Support Services

OAP Foundational Family Services may offer behaviour-management workshops. Confirm current access and eligibility, and ask a qualified professional about a Positive Behaviour Support Plan for your child.

Build Communication Capacity

Many crises are driven by communication frustration. AAC tools, visual supports, and PECS reduce this frustration by giving children a reliable way to express needs before they escalate.

Support Caregiver Mental Health

Parent and caregiver mental health is a crisis prevention factor. When caregivers are regulated, children are more likely to regulate. Access support through 988, your own physician, or CMHA's mental health services.

Use Respite Services Proactively

Ontario's Special Services at Home (SSAH) program funds respite workers. Access respite before reaching your limit, not after. Your regional DSO office can help you apply.

A meltdown may involve intense distress linked to sensory overload, communication frustration, or another trigger. It may settle when demands and sensory input are reduced. A crisis involves a risk of significant harm to the child or others, such as serious self-injury, traffic danger, or a situation that cannot be managed safely at home. Crisis situations may require professional or emergency intervention.

In most cases, no. Call 911 when there is immediate risk of serious physical harm that cannot be managed safely at home, such as severe self-injury, violence, or traffic danger. If you call, tell the dispatcher that the person is autistic and describe the immediate safety risk, communication needs, and any relevant medical information.

988 is the Canada-wide Suicide Crisis Helpline, launched in November 2023. You can call or text 988 anytime, 24/7, for free. It is intended for anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts, a mental health crisis, or emotional distress, including parents of autistic children in crisis who need support themselves. Staff are trained in mental health crisis response. If an autistic person is in suicidal crisis, call 988. If there is immediate physical danger, call 911.

Some regions offer crisis beds, short-term stabilization, or respite through children's mental-health and community agencies, but availability and eligibility vary. Contact the local service directly to confirm the current route. The Ontario government's Special Services at Home (SSAH) program and DSO may be relevant to longer-term support; they are not emergency substitutes.

A crisis safety plan documents your child's triggers, early warning signs, de-escalation strategies that work, who to call, and what information first responders need. Include your child's name and photo, diagnosis and medications, communication method (verbal, AAC, PECS), known triggers and calming strategies, emergency contacts and preferred hospital, and any physical health concerns first responders should know. Share the plan with your child's school, therapists, and keep a copy in your wallet. Many Ontario families access safety planning support through their local CMHA chapter or children's mental health centre.