Just for information, lately in the autism community, people are making a distinction between “tantrums” and “meltdowns.” I personally do not make a distinction as they look the same and really we can’t know what another person is thinking or what is motivating them, especially when they are so emotionally distraught.

For those who do make a distinction: A tantrum is considered to be when a child cannot have something he wants or cannot do something he wishes to do. A tantrum is goal driven behaviour designed to persuade the adult in charge to give in to the desires of the youngster.