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“Who Decided This?” Listening to PDA Young People About School Disconnection

I recently spent time with a group of older primary and early secondary-aged young people and their parents. We were gathering to talk about self-care tasks in...

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Play First, Hygiene Later: Getting Comfortable with Washing

Let’s be honest: hygiene products can be weird. They bubble. They squirt. They smell like ‘mountain rain or ‘moonflower’. Some of them fizz, foam, or...

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Finding the Balance: Supporting PDAers Without Overloading Our Young People

We know that step-by-step charts, checklists and routines can feel especially tough for PDAers. These kinds of supports can come across as boring, overly rigid...

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PDA and Play: Power, Pretend, and Pushing Back Against Norms

Play for PDAers is a powerful, meaningful way to connect with the world on their own terms. It's a space where demands reduce, control returns to them, and...

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Demanding Respect from PDAers in the School Setting: Why Hierarchy Backfires & What Builds True Connection Instead

It’s a phrase many of us have heard, or even said in the school setting: "They need to learn to respect adults." "They have to follow instructions, it’s...

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PDAers and Compliance: Understanding the Real Challenge

For those who do not yet understand the neurotype, PDAers are often described as defiant and always pushing back. This misconception can lead to frustration...

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Supporting PDAers with Hygiene: A Compassionate Approach

Navigating hygiene can be challenging for any young person. For PDAers, these transitions can feel especially overwhelming. Traditional approaches to personal...

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Why We Need Low Pressure Food Opportunities

Food and eating are deeply personal areas where young people, particularly PDAers, have a natural sense of needing some control to feel secure. This makes it...

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How to Get them to Eat: Rethinking Some Traditional Parenting Strategies

Food opportunities can often be a source of stress for families. Many parents and carers have shared with me that they feel like they are constantly...

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Getting to Know More About PDAers: The Less Discussed Characteristics

Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) is often understood through its most prominent traits, such as anxiety and resistance to everyday demands. However, there...

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Gabby’s Glimmers: A Children’s Book About Gabby and Their Favourite Jam Sandwich

Gabby’s Glimmers is a rhyming children’s book about Gabby who is a creative, board game playing and scary-loving kiddo that adores a jam sandwich. ...

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PDA Signposting: An Ongoing List

In order to better understand and support PDAers, it takes many people sharing their ideas and experiences. Please find a signposting list below which will...

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