Navigating PDA in America

by Ruth Fidler, Sarah C Wayland (Foreword), Diane Gould

Although Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) has been a recognized autistic profile in the UK for some time, awareness is still growing in America. When parents first learn about it they talk about having a lightbulb moment of understanding their child better. Many described how, having found traditional parenting and behavioral techniques made things worse instead of better, they felt judged and alone. Teachers and school administrators also reported struggling to support their PDA students. The children, teens and young adults themselves were often left feeling misunderstood. The authors of this book explain PDA with an emphasis on promoting well-being both for PDA individuals and all those who support them. They provide a neurodiversity-affirming framework for supporting anxious, demand avoidant individuals across a range of settings and services. As awareness spreads across the pond, the compassion and clarity in this book will become a valuable guide to many.

Genres: Parenting

208 pages, Paperback

Published June 21, 2024

Reviews

[Bird · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ruth Fidler has written a reliable resource on the PDA (pathological demand avoidance, aka pervasive drive for autonomy) profile that applies to many autistic people. She provides research-informed insights into what PDA is, how we have come to understand it over time, how it affects autistic kids, teens, and adults, and how it affects caregivers, loved ones, and educators.

Fidler includes many case studies and voices of autistic PDA-ers. She takes care to critically address the issues and problems that are exacerbated by behavioral therapies and punishment, often imposed on autistic people, and thoughtfully considers how caregivers of PDA-ers feel while navigating a difficult situation.

Navigating PDA in America is a valuable resource for autistic people and those who love them, as well as educators and professionals.

[April]

I am not sure how to rate this one. I am a nonfiction junkie, but this book was particularly dry. Also inhibiting my objectivity is that during the course of listening to this book, lots of childhood trauma was being disclosed by one of my PDA kids, so that absorbed much of my focus.

Some helpful takeaways were….

“Children will do well if they can.” -Ross Green

Consider what “skills” may be lagging. The child may need help acquiring lagging skills more than punishment for not having yet acquired them.

Sensory issues are strong for these kids and can created a lot of stress for them. Hunger, thirst or needing to use the restroom may trigger a stress response which leads to them avoiding the very thing that would solve their problem.

The solution is not to reduce all demands or remove all boundaries. The key is to reduce the perception of demands and to provide a sense of control and autonomy.

Chapter 5 “Promoting Emotional Wellbeing” was the most helpful. The following were discussed: Interoceptive awareness, autistic burnout, find a therapist with a trauma-informed approach, how the nervous systems are overly sensitive and may cause a trauma-reaction to environments which others may view as neutral or less alarming.

[Meghan Remington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of this book was introductory information about PDA, best suited for a reader who is new to PDA. I did like that the end of the book included a section on what it looks like for young adults transition to supported independence. Most books I’ve read focus on young children and how to support them. This was a unique look at PDAers as young adults.

[Adrianna Mccabe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very basic overview of PDA. It's not really going to provide a whole lot of new information if you already are familiar. This is a great book for somebody who is just learning about PDA and I really appreciated the way the information was presented.

[AM · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good starting point. However, it is very vague on most things.

[Britt-Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not find this book particularly helpful, but I may have when my child was younger or before I knew anything about PDA.