For anyone new to Pathological Demand Avoidance, or for those who may have missed key thoughts on PDA of mine from years ago, here's a list of my top ten PDA posts. Some of these are linked at the bottom of every post I write but I thought it would be worth having one clear summary post as a signpost for information. There are so many posts on my blog from the 12 years I've been writing. Each one gives a snippet of info, whether that's my thoughts and feelings at the time or our daughter's reactions to life, but of course I appreciate not everyone has time to read all of those earlier posts. The posts listed below are mostly less personal ones where I tried to give more depth to how I saw and understood PDA. I hope they have helped some families already but I would be even happier knowing they've reached more people!
(Photo by Luke Southern on Unsplash) |
Ten Things You Need To Know About Pathological Demand Avoidance
The Difference between PDA and ODD
Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) Characteristics
What is PDA? Does my child have Pathological Demand Avoidance?
Autism with demand avoidance or Pathological Demand Avoidance?
Rewards and Consequences with PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance)
Books about the Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) profile of autism
Challenging Behaviour and PDA
Strategies for PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance)
Our PDA Story {week 45} Positives of PDA
Twelve years ago today, I hadn't ever heard the words Pathological Demand Avoidance. I went to a paediatrician's appointment with our younger daughter and was told she was probably autistic. She was just two and a half years old.
Now feels like the right time to look back on our life since that diagnosis and to finish writing that book I've signed a contract for.... but first, this 'anniversary' post. I know much more than I did back then but feel like I am still learning every day. I've always been a 'keeping it real' kind of blogger, open and honest, but the truth is that some experiences are tough to write about at this stage.
We are in the midst of our own difficulties with the education system; this state of affairs happened to coincide with me publishing guest posts in a series called 'Not Fine in School'. That series will return at some point but my book writing needs to take priority for now.
The book will be about living with autism and Pathological Demand Avoidance; our experiences from the time of that very early diagnosis, on through school and family life, up to the present day. I hope it will help other families as much as the current published literature on PDA has helped me.
The fact that some of my blog posts have been read by many people all over the world makes me happy because I want our daughter, and others like her, to be better understood and accommodated in society. Pathological Demand Avoidance is very real and I always point people who want more information or support in the direction of the amazing PDA Society, a charity whose volunteers and trustees have much lived experience of this.
To all those who have been reading my blog for years, thank you for staying with me and showing me much support along the way. To new readers, you are of course very welcome, please do stick around and I hope reading the posts in this list helps you understand more about PDA. And remember, sharing is caring!
I can't believe how fast the time goes! Nor how far you've come since that first day sharing your lives. Congratulations on all of it
ReplyDeleteAh thank you so much - and I really appreciate the 'old school' style blog comment! I remember when they were a thing :D
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