Chris talks about what can happen emotionally after a major meltdown or explosive outburst. From the outside, adults may focus on the behavior itself. From the inside, the child may already be dealing with a strong sense of regret, sadness, or shame once the intensity has passed. He explains that, especially when autistic children are young, they may know that they yelled, lashed out, or acted in a way they did not want to—but during the meltdown they may not have felt in control of the impulse or able to stop what was happening. That difference matters. Knowing afterward that something went badly does not mean the child had access to the same control in the middle of the event. Chris describes the aftermath as a painful realization that you did something wrong while also feeling that you could not control yourself in the moment. He says the emotional crash can become harder when the response from adults is yelling, shaming, or punishment. The child may already feel bad about what happened, and an angry response can add another layer of distress rather than helping them understand or explain it. Chris remembers having difficulty putting these feelings into words as a child. When he tried to explain himself, an adult response such as “don’t talk back to me” could close down the attempt to communicate and make the experience feel worse. His point for parents and caregivers is to recognize that the period after a meltdown may include genuine shame and regret. A child can wish they had been able to control what happened even when the skills or regulation needed to do that were not available in the moment. Understanding that internal aftermath does not erase the impact of the behavior. It adds context for helping a child recover, communicate what happened, and build better regulation over time.