Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)
Exploring the PDA profile of autism—marked by extreme anxiety around perceived demands, a deep need for autonomy, and non-traditional expressions of distress. This tag gathers reflections on parenting, school interactions, and the failures of behavioural frameworks to recognise this profile with empathy or nuance.
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How regressive school policies limit inclusion
On the first day of school, it all looked so promising that it seemed almost too good to be true—the hallway bulletin boards overflowed with vibrant slogans about kindness, leadership, and community belonging, while the principal’s welcome message spoke in glowing terms about student voice, shared responsibility, and the promise of a positive school culture…
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Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)
Pathological Demand Avoidance is a neurobiological profile of autism rooted in anxiety, autonomy, and nervous system threat perception. For children with PDA, even simple requests can register as danger. A question, a suggestion, a cheerful invitation—all of these may activate a survival response, because the child’s nervous system experiences demand as threat. When this pattern…
