A free printable worksheet for parents, for when the meltdowns feel completely random and you can't see them coming. The meltdown is usually not caused by the thing that happened right before it. The sock was the twelfth thing, not the first. About 60 seconds a day for a week, then one sitting at the end. You come out with three things written down: which sensory system your child most often overloads through and in which direction, what time of day is highest-risk, and their earliest reliable warning sign — with a number of minutes attached to it. This is an observation tool. It is not a medical or therapeutic assessment, does not diagnose any condition, and is not a substitute for advice from a qualified occupational therapist, physician, or mental-health professional.