![]() Pathological Demand Avoidance from the National Autistic Society.Here are some more resources on Pathological Demand Avoidance: ![]() For further information on Pathological Demand Avoidance, refer to the PDA Society.Ĭindy has written five more ways to help a child who avoids tasks on her website, Your Kids OT. It is not easy and emotions may run high quickly. ![]() Reframing takes time, creativity, patience, and empathy. For example “Can we pack away these toys only using our feet and not our hands?” In a similar way to turning a task into a game using humor or novelty can help a child to feel relaxed and change their perception of what is expected of them to complete a task. For example “I wonder if we could pack these toys would fit in the storage bin?”. I can help.” Compared with “You need to pack those toys away now”.Īnother way to rephrase a request is to use a question rather than a statement. For example, “The toys are on the floor and the storage bin is empty. Presenting the activity first rather than the demand is one way to rephrase a request. Subtle changes to how we phrase or ask a child to do something can have a profound impact. This may include removing the need to speak, reducing time expectations, reducing writing that accompanies the task, and/or reducing decisions that need to be made. Each mark on the board could be copied one at a time to build towards drawing a picture.ģ || Reduce indirect demands that accompany the task. Whilst you draw on your board, your child may draw on theirs. Or you could take turns in placing a toy into a storage bin.ĭoing the task together with drawing tasks may have you sitting next to your child with separate small whiteboards. Other children may manage to pack away five toys whilst you pack away five toys. For example, You could each pack away one toy. Doing the task together can reduce the demand of the activity into achievable smaller parts. Watch this in action on Instagram.Ĭreating a game may include the roll of a dice, keeping a score of points for a particular aspect of the task, changing color markers, or doing the task in a different environment (like under a table).Ī task such as packing away toys may seem overwhelming. A beeping noise that increases in volume as the child reaches the target is one way to turn a task into a game. A simple adaptation is the use of your voice to make sound effects. Whilst every child is different, here are 5 examples of incorporating these PANDA principles.Īdapting the task into a game can help a child to feel they are playing. 5 PANDA Strategies to Support Pathological Demand Avoidance You can read more details on PANDA in this article from Autism Parent Magazine. The PDA society lists the following key principles for parents, teachers, and therapists in helping a child with PDA built on an engaged relationship between the child and adult. ![]() The PANDA Approach with Pathological Demand Avoidance It could include shouting, laughing, crying, screaming, hiding, not talking, running away, throwing things, repetitive actions, and more. Anxiety and a need to feel in control underpin a child’s avoidant behavior.Įach child who demonstrates avoidant behavior may do this in different ways. A low threshold of tolerance to a variety of “demands” results in the child reacting with a fight, flight, or freeze response. Pathological Demand Avoidance is described as a profile of Autism.
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