How to handle agitation

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Yesterday DS6 got fixated on having a curtain bracket. My mother was helping me prepare to put a curtain rod in his sisters' room, and we were discussing where to put the bracket and other details. She needed to take the bracket home with her. DS grabbed it and ran out of the room. I took it back from him, and when we said she was taking it home, he became very agitated.

DS began running from room to room, and picking up and throwing non-damaging items like pieces of clothing and paper. I couldn't get him to stop, and he wouldn't let me squeeze him in couch cushions or roll up in a blanket. Nor would he go out to the trampoline to jump. I finally grabbed him by the shoulders and gently but firmly forced him up to his room for a timeout. He kept coming out of the room, and started threatening things like deleting my machines on Toy Factory (an iPad game we play together). When I threatened to delete the game entirely if he did that, he suddenly snapped out of his agitated state and appeared instantly calm.

Any ideas on how to handle this sort of agitated state?

I think you handled it very well. Meltdowns happen - that you were able to snap him out of it and bring him back to reality is really good. From my own experience, once you're in a meltdown spiral it is really hard to come back. Often I have to spend time alone, wait for it to pass and try to stay calm.

I wish I knew.

I also think you handled it well, and I agree with the other poster that it speaks well for him that he had so much control over it. The fact that he knew to throw only non-damaging objects and that he snapped out of it when threatened with consequences, is very good.

One problem is that as he gets bigger there will come a point where I will be unable physically to force him up the stairs to his room. What else can I do when he is in this running, agitated state?

Distractions are good: someone suggested giving my son a square of bubble wrap to pop when we're about to do something that might set him off (e.g. go to school)

We also made up a family contract with the agreement that it is his responsibility to go to his room on his own when we ask him. We practice this regularly: first thing I say when he's amping up is "go to your room" (before we get to the state where he can't do it) We also had him discuss the physical warning symptoms before he gets agitated, and have asked him to remove himself when he feels those symptoms (he said he gets a tight upper lip.) It's a major, major responsibility for him.

Also, one thing to remember is that kids on the spectrum have a developmental delay. This means that often, if you work at it carefully, they get there themselves. If you instill a habit for him to do this on his own now, he will likely internalize it before he's putting you or your home in danger.

I consider it a good sign that he was using soft objects, and that he could "snap out of it," but it's really important that he internalize a replacement behavior.