I run a social group for adults with autism and Asperger's, I have Asperger’s myself. I've met a around 200 people with autism and Asperger's since 2002. I've seen many people have meltdowns, but I've never seen people with Asperger’s engage in self injurious behaviour like this. In my experience meltdowns are sudden extreme emotional episodes of anger, crying or frustration. I've seen one guy put another guy in a headlock, tables knocked over, people suddenly get slapped across the face (actually my face).

One friends suddenly started to cry inconsolablibly after I told her burnt toast in carcinogenic. She cried for about 15 minutes, totally whaled like a child. I also have an ex girlfriend who has severe Asperger’s, she used to have a terrible temper when stressed in town and over stimulated (she's on new medication and is doing great). Another friend would suddenly lash out and hit me when she was stressed, happened rarely when very upset and felt ignored, zero to angry and no gradation in between, then slap (reminded me of a cat I once knew that lashed out when not given attention).

So, from my experience, meltdowns in Aspergers are not unlike emotional meltdowns in neurotypicals, just that the origin might be different. Sensory overloads, conflicting information, feeling ignored, arguments, feeling paranoid. There's, as I said, no gradation. Like the anger dial goes 1, 2,... 10. I maybe that's me missing subtle cues. Also, there's possibly multiple other triggers, emotions I'm not aware of, that can't read. This is seen though my biased perception.

My main point, after getting to know dozens people with Asperger’s very well, I've never seen this sort of head hitting. I have however seen self injurious behaviour, hitting head, hand flapping and rocking in lower functioning autism. That's where I've seen this behaviour before.

Everyone with Aspergers and autism is different, it's unfortunate that this example might be seen as typical of Asperger’s. Also, some people are commenting that there's other videos that show her training the dog to intervene when she pretends to have a meltdown.