That's right, in a few days it will be Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) Awareness Day. PDA is a little known and often unrecognised part of the autism spectrum. It is characterised by the need to resist everyday demands due to an underlying anxiety of not being in control. While we all may feel like we don't want to do things because we feel stressed or anxious, PDA takes this to a whole other level. Children with autism are often thought of as being unimaginative but a child with PDA can be extremely imaginative when it comes to getting out of things as a way of coping with how they feel.
When our daughter tells a lie so as not to follow a simple instruction, or even further just says hers legs don't work, I think, could this be PDA? These of course are relatively minor examples and kids with PDA can have meltdowns just like those on the rest of the spectrum. One of things we do to help our eldest have less meltdowns is to help him limit the demands on himself. It's often the final straw that can tip him over the edge.
So why is this post my wonderful Wednesday share? Mostly because I like anything that raises awareness of any type of ASD, and this does just that. It's also because it raises the importance of a correct diagnosis and this can be vital in getting the right help.
If you haven't read about PDA or this post yet, pop over now and take a quick look.
If you have a PDA post, please add a link in the comments under the image below for others to see.
Links
Our blog - Final straw on a pile of worries
Our blog - Without an ASD diagnosis, we could not...
External
Life with ASD and the Rest - PDA Awareness Day 15th May
National Autistic Society - What is PDA?
Add your PDA links directly into the 'website' box so they hyperlink.
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