Let ' s drop Steph for a sec and talk about us . We ' re still semitrash on D . <| sep |> Good S O F T H A N D S there . <| sep |> Yeah , Ive been checking that out too . <| sep |> Children , typical or not , can easily pick up the vibes in the home . It sounds to me like there is some extreme tension within the family which may be causing her some extra anxiety . She may not have meltdowns at school because she feels more relaxed there than she does at her home . A year ago , my husband , my son , and I were living in an apartment . It was the worst experience of our lives . It was only for a short time but my son was two at the time and his meltdowns were extreme . We were constantly on eggshells , always fearing what the neighbors must think . I would say if you and your wife are tense and stressed , your daughter is sensing it and acting out because of it . She may also be regressing because she is stressed . It is probably less about the piano and more about the tone of which your wife is pushing her to play . It should be encouraging , not forced . I would see if your wife is interested in seeking out therapy or groups to help cope with the struggles that come along with being an parent of a child with autism . Do them with her and find some tools that can help you both . Your wife sounds like she is coming to a very dark and angry place with her daughter , and I can guarantee that your daughter feels it . My son will typically have a good day or bad day depending on me and my patience level . I know their is quite the age gap but I ' ve always recognized his ability to read the overall vibe in the room . Is your daughter ok with verbalizing how she is feeling ? How other people may be making her feel ? Is there anyone in the family that she has a bond with that she can find comfort in ? Additionally , you may think of having her go to bed a little earlier or spend some alone time in her room at night , reading or listening to music . My son never slept well until recently and his moods would typically be horrendous when he was especially tired so encouraging early bed time wouldn ' t hurt . This will sound like strange advice but you have to change the tone of the home . Change it from an anxious place to a relaxing place . You and your wife need to start pretending you ' re happy . Not just with each other but with your daughter . Believe it or not , you acting this way will change your own perspective and will then start to change the vibes in your marriage and in the home . Talk to your older daughter and make sure she is being supportive .