Meltdown & triggers log

Record what came before, what helped, and how long recovery took. Patterns show up within two weeks.

For: Parents, autistic adults, professionals · Free to print, copy and share · No sign-up

How do I find out what triggers my child's meltdowns?

Log what happened in the twenty minutes before, not just the meltdown itself. Note the setting, sleep, food, noise, and what had changed. After ten to fourteen entries the pattern is usually obvious — and it's usually something upstream, not the thing that appeared to set it off.

Get the PDF See all printables

The PDF is built in your browser on the next screen — nothing is saved or emailed.

How to use it

Print two or three sheets and keep one somewhere you'll actually reach it.
Fill in a row as soon as things are calm again — not days later.
Always write what happened in the twenty minutes beforehand.
Record what helped and what made it worse, honestly.
Note recovery time. Long recovery usually means it started earlier than you thought.
After two weeks, read the 'before' column on its own and look for the repeat.

Things worth knowing

Meltdowns are not behaviour to be punished — they're a nervous system that ran out of room.
This log is also the evidence a school or clinician will ask you for.

Want this made for your situation?

Nova keeps the same record for you, remembers what worked last time, and suggests the next thing to try.

Log it with Nova

Other free printables

Visual schedule template

Blank picture-and-word boxes for a morning, school, or bedtime routine.

First / Then card

Two big boxes: what happens first, what happens after. The simplest transition support there is.

Sensory profile checklist

Work through each sense and mark what soothes, what overwhelms, and what's still unclear.

Social story template

A blank, first-person story frame for a new place, a change, or something that keeps going wrong.

This sheet is a practical support, not medical, legal, or diagnostic advice.