Pathological demand avoidance (PDA) is a tendency for autistic individuals to struggle when overwhelmed by demands. On the outside, it can look like defiance or choosing not to do necessary things. On ...

"Charlie" is an eight-year-old child with autism. Her parents are worried because she often responds to requests with insults, aggression and refusal. Simple demands, such as being asked to get ...

Sophie, a 10-year-old, avoids straightforward tasks like getting dressed or doing homework. When her parents press her to comply, she might have a meltdown or withdraw to her room. At school, Sophie ...

When every task feels impossible, it may not be defiance. It may be exhaustion. Sometimes what looks like avoiding demands is ...

For some children, everyday demands such “brush your teeth” or “time to get off of your computer game”, can trigger intense anxiety and extreme resistance. When this type of response affects everyday ...

Two years ago, my then 4-year-old son, Oscar, was diagnosed with severe anxiety and as having features of pathological demand avoidance, a nervous system disability that presents as a pattern of ...

McFly drummer Harry Judd's wife Izzy Johnston has revealed that one of their three children has pathological demand avoidance (PDA). PDA syndrome is a specific profile within the Autism spectrum, ...