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The PDA-Saurus

The PDA-Saurus has decided to embark on an adventure to find her autonomy, but will she find it? Come along on her journey of self discovery, as she meets new friends and discovers who she really is. This book invites PDA children into a world where they can see themselves validated and understood. This book can help children understand their PDA but also gives parents, caregivers, and teachers tips on supporting PDA children. Author: Sophie Cook Published: June 2023   Find on Author's website

Understanding PDA: For Kids & Grown Ups

'Understanding PDA: For Kids & Grown Ups' is a book about Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), from the perspective of a little boy called Ethan. Ethan shares his personal experiences with PDA, and how it affects his ability to handle certain demands and expectations. The book offers valuable insight and helpful tips for those who want to support PDA individuals. It is hoped that readers will gain a deeper understanding of PDA, and encourage the world around PDA people to better support them. Author: Stacey Freeman, Max Freeman & Jay Freeman Published: 15 June 2023 Find on Amazon

Surviving A-Levels – Jo’s story

Personal Reflection: Surviving A-Levels by Jo. Jo is a PDA young adult. He studied A-Level Philosophy, Maths and English at a mainstream school and shares his personal experience here, offering valuable insights for both young people and adults. Jo reflects on some of the challenges he faced and the approaches he found helpful to overcome these challenges. He also talks about the benefits of self-awareness and how meditating helped him with this. When I was 16, I started at a new school to study for my A-Levels. It was the first time I had attended a regular mainstream school since I quit early in Year 7. My schooling for the 6 years in between had been the complete opposite to a mainstream environment, so there was no reason to believe I would do any better this time than I had previously, except for the fact that I had accepted it would happen and that it was my will. And that tends to be the struggle with PDA I think - starting. It’s probably unhelpful to hear then that in this case it wasn’t a struggle and indeed it doesn’t strike me as an example of my own struggles with PDA, but it [...]

Neurodiversity! What’s That?

Neurodiversity! What’s That? is for children aged 7 and upwards. This book is a fun introduction to neurodiversity written by a neurodivergent mum aiming to improve the self-esteem and confidence of children. The book includes many positive messages and can also help parents navigate the world of neurodiversity. Neurodiversity! What's That? mentions autism, PDA, ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, dysgraphia and Irlen Syndrome. Understanding neurodiversity enables parents and children to learn about disability and differences positively, promoting self-esteem and acceptance.   Author: Nadine Arthur   Find on Amazon

Calendar Girl: The memoirs of a PDA child in a dysfunctional family

Calendar Girl is the first of Sally Cat’s planned series of short memoirs which, book by book, will recount her entire childhood with the aid of her rare photographic, calendar memory. This first book, covering the author’s first eight years, includes crystal clear memories of babyhood, toddlerhood and young childhood of growing up in a dysfunctional, undiagnosed neurodivergent family. The short memoir’s purpose is to communicate the lived experience of an internalising PDA child to parents seeking to understand their own kids. Available in paperback and Kindle edition. Sally Cat is kindly donating all royalties from this book to PDA Society.   Author: Sally Cat   Find on Amazon

All the Pieces of Me

From the bestselling authors of Can You See Me? comes the fourth exceptional Tally book! Year 9 can be tough for everyone, but for Tally it feels even tougher. Everything seems to be changing as she and her friends get older. Make-up, boys, social media, GCSE prep – why is it all starting to feel so different? Tally has always known that being autistic means some things are harder for her than they are for other people. But becoming a teenager has left Tally feeling like she has no idea who she even is anymore…   Authors: Co-written by 14-year-old autistic blogger Libby Scott and Rebecca Westcott Publisher: Scholastic   Find on publisher's website   Other books in this series: Can You See Me? Do You Know Me? Ways to Be Me

The Panda on PDA

In this positive, gentle and PDA-friendly guide for young children, PDA is explained by a playful Panda who is PDA and very proud of it. The Panda is full of talents and strengths, but finds it very hard to do what others want. In fact, the Panda has become great at climbing trees and bamboo, and hiding in caves to escape demands! The Panda addresses the challenges and struggles of PDA honestly, but can also thrive and live a happy life in the right environment, when supported by others. Author: Glòria Durà-Vilà Illustrator: Rebecca Tatternorth Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers   Find on publisher's website

The Adventures of Pickle

To most people, a pebble on the beach is just that – a pebble. For a little girl with Pathological Demand Avoidance, it’s much more and a very special bond is formed. To help with her anxiety, the little girl chooses Pickle the pebble to accompany her through all that life throws at her, becoming her soothing sensory friend. Light-hearted and sometimes emotional, this book is based on a true story. The Adventures of Pickle explores the roller-coaster ride that the whole family (including the little black dog!) goes through when faced with this little-understood part of the Autism Spectrum.   Author: Zelda Mothins Illustrator: Hattie Hyder   Find on Amazon

PDA & school avoidance podcast with James

15 year old James shares his thoughts on why school is difficult for young people with a PDA profile. He openly talks about his experience of school and the daily challenges around demands, masking, sensory difficulties, school avoidance, friendships and transitions. He also offers some possible solutions and tips for teachers, and shares some coping strategies that have helped him along the way. A transcript of the episode is also available here. More about James' experience of PDA is also available on our website, including: PDA & masking with James (video) James' story (case study)     Listen on Anchor   Further information and resources about PDA for education professionals are also available on the 'Working with PDA' pages of our website.

The Amazing Autistic Brain Cards

150 Cards with Strengths and Challenges for Positive Autism Discussions. This deck of cards is a resource to help professionals, parents and anyone working with autistic young people to have discussions about an Autism diagnosis in a personalised, positive and meaningful way. The beautifully designed cards each show a strength - such as being inquisitive or honest - or a challenge - such as sensory difficulties or understanding emotions. The pack also includes reusable blank cards which can be personalised. The accompanying booklet provides approaches and strategies developed by Dr Dura-Vila in her clinical practice. She also shares her personal (and occasionally humorous) experiences, including tips for discussing an autism diagnosis. These accounts within inspire readers to give their best to any young person when sharing an autism diagnosis, and in the conversations that follow.   Authors: Glòria Durà-Vilà (Author), Rebecca Tatternorth (Illustrator) Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers   Find on publisher's website  

PDA & masking with James

In this video 14 year old James kindly shares information about his experience of PDA and masking. Hi, I'm James and I'm 14 years old. I was diagnosed with PDA at the age of 12 and would like to share some information about masking. A lot of people with PDA such as myself often use what is known as a mask to hide emotions and avoid demands. Find out more in this video. A transcript of the video is also available here. More about James' experience of PDA is available to read here: James’ story.   Published by: PDA Society, July 2021   Watch on YouTube  

Ways to Be Me

From the bestselling author duo behind Can You See Me? comes this exceptional portrayal of autism diagnosis, with diary entries by 12-year-old autistic author Libby Scott based on her own experiences of autism with a demand avoidant profile. Taking place before Can You See Me? and Do You Know Me? this standout prequel follows Tally through her autism diagnosis in her final year of primary school. Ten-year-old Tally had high hopes for Year 6. Being in the top class at school means a whole host of privileges, but even better than that is the school production – and Tally is convinced she’ll win the lead role. But at home, things aren’t going so well. Mum and Dad have been making Tally feel pressured and upset, and Tally wishes things didn’t bother her so much – but they do, and sometimes she feels so misunderstood and frustrated, she could explode. Then Tally’s mum and dad tell her about something she’s never heard about before. Something called autism. And everything changes.   Authors: Co-written by 12-year-old autistic blogger Libby Scott and Rebecca Westcott Publisher: Scholastic   Find on publisher's website   Other books in this series: Can You See Me? Do You Know Me? All the Pieces of Me  

Winning a Blue Peter competition – Naomi’s story

Hi, I’m Naomi (age 12), I have PDA and I recently won a Blue Peter (BP) competition! The whole filming experience was pretty overwhelming but also gave me some amazing and life-long memories. I think PDAers find it really difficult to experience and try new things as we usually try to avoid change, well I know I do, but I also now know that even if you may initially think you can’t do something, due to anxiety or because you can’t predict what’s going to happen, with the right support and help you can do it! Try to tell a trusted person (mine is my mum) what you’d like to do and, like my family, I’m sure they’ll help you to do it. Yes it’s hard, I had lots of anxiety and worry over things when we were filming but I did it as deep down I really wanted to, I just needed someone to help me without it feeling like a huge overwhelming demand that I’d usually avoid. This is my story … In November 2020, Blue Peter announced their new gaming competition to design a character skin for the game Fall Guys. Three years ago I started to collect BP badges [...]

James’ story

James is 14 and kindly shared this extract he wrote about his experience of PDA. His insightful and honest account covers how PDA can be misunderstood; masking; school; the need to have ‘demand free’ time; the importance of trust in relationships; the impact of the Covid pandemic and what helps in terms of managing his demand avoidance. Introduction Hello, I am fourteen years old and at the age of twelve I was diagnosed with Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA). I always knew there was something about me that was different when I was younger, but my family just saw me as a ‘naughty boy’. Admittedly my behaviour was challenging but it could be made far more manageable if my family and friends understood me. I do not know who you are reading this right now, whether you have PDA, have a friend or family member with PDA or are merely curious about what it is. Nevertheless, I will try my best to give you an insight into the life of somebody with PDA. Also remember everybody is different, so everybody with PDA will have different experiences and ways of coping. PDA and autism PDA is a part of the autistic spectrum, so PDA and [...]

Pretty Darn Awesome

Pretty Darn Awesome: Divergent not Deficient: Understanding Pathological Demand Avoidance on the Autism Spectrum ‘Pretty Darn Awesome’ is a story about a little boy with Pathological Demand Avoidance - a not so well known profile of the autistic spectrum. It looks at his daily struggles but more importantly his amazing strengths. A useful introduction to PDA and a way to share it and explain it positively to children, siblings, family members, teachers and classmates.   Author: Lauren O'Grady   Find on Amazon

Pathological Demand Avoidance Explained

Pathological Demand Avoidance Explained. Available in paperback and as a Kindle/E-Book. What is PDA? What does it feel like? What does it involve? PDA stands for 'pathological demand avoidance'. It describes a neurotype (type of brain) which is classed as part of the autism spectrum. There's more to PDA than avoiding things. This book describes what PDA is using simple words and pictures. Author and illustrator Sally Cat is an adult PDA author, artist and blogger. She has posted hundreds of graphic memes describing PDA on her popular Facebook page. This book uses the same format to communicate the lived experience of the condition in an easy to understand way via 75 memes. The topics covered are PDA avoidance, control-need, anxiety, intolerance of uncertainty, social mimicry & masking, emotions, overload, meltdown & shutdown, school and adult life. Royalties for the book are kindly donated directly to PDA Society.   Author: Sally Cat   Find on Amazon

Recognising and regulating emotions – helpful books for children

Recognising and regulating emotions is something most of our children find very difficult. Whilst our children are young, the adults around them will need to be very vigilant in spotting the signs that anxiety is escalating. As our children grow older and their emotional intelligence develops, they may be able to recognise their emotions and deploy their own coping skills more effectively. Books can be a good way to learn about emotions, and enable our children to develop understanding and skills, in a more indirect way. Here are some general book ideas that may help: All about feelings How are you feeling today? This fun, friendly and reassuring introduction to feelings is designed to help young children recognise, understand and name how they’re feeling and learn to talk about and manage their emotions in helpful ways. The Unhurry Book Now breathe…and relax. This write-in activity book is all about taking a little time to breathe, focus and be calm, with the help of some friendly sloths. Try a spot of yoga, colour in soothing squiggles or go on a sense safari – take a quiet moment, just for you. With links to Usborne Quicklinks with specially selected websites for more relaxation activities. [...]

Understand Me

Understand Me: An inspiring journey of a boy with PDA 9 year old Spencer recalls his struggles at mainstream school and takes us on a journey of his experiences whilst going through diagnosis and the EHCP process to a successful specialist placement. Spencer’s feelings of isolation and sadness, and his longing to be understood and accepted, are recounted in his own powerful words. This book will be an inspiration for children, parents and teaching professionals who are living and working with a PDA profile of autism. Spencer's Mum (Katie Stott) has also written and published a book - Life on an Alien Planet: A PDA boy and his journey through the education system. Author: Spencer Stott Publisher: Independently published   Find on Amazon

Do You Know Me?

The sequel to last year’s bestselling Can You See Me? Co-written by autistic twelve-year-old Libby Scott, with diary entries based on her own experiences of autism with a demand avoidant profile. Great for reading with friends and family and engaging a wide audience, this book sees autistic protagonist Tally return in another compelling and authentic story of fitting in and being different. Told from Tally’s own point of view, the story follows her as she goes on a school trip and falls in with the popular crowd. Tally has learned to be proud of her autism – but now she realises that others in her circle still feel forced to hide their true selves. Will she be brave enough to stand up to her new friends, the bullies? Told with great realism from Tally’s unique standpoint and exploring the familiar tensions of school life, this engaging and relatable book is guaranteed to get older readers thinking. It helps children empathise with friends who may have similar neurodiversity, and allows autistic readers to see their world reflected back at them. The other author is Rebecca Westcott, who has won acclaim for her books Dandelion Clocks and Violet Ink.   Authors: Co-written by twelve-year-old autistic [...]

The Spectrum Girl’s Survival Guide

How to Grow Up Awesome and Autistic "Never be ashamed of being different: it is this difference that makes you extraordinary and unique." This essential go-to guide gives you all the information and tools you'll need to help you flourish and achieve what you want in life. From the answers to everyday questions such as 'Am I using appropriate body language?' and 'Did I say the wrong thing?', through to discussing the importance of understanding your emotions, looking after your physical and mental health and coping with anxiety and sensory overloads, award-winning neurodiversity campaigner Siena Castellon uses her own experiences to provide you with the skills to overcome any challenge. With practical tips on friendships, dating, body image, consent and appearance, as well as how to survive school and bullying, The Spectrum Girl's Survival Guide gives you the power to embrace who you are, reminding you that even during the toughest of teen moments, you are never alone. Author: Siena Castellon Foreword by: Temple Grandin Illustrated by: Rebecca Burgess Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers Find on publisher's website

Super Shamlal – Living and Learning with Pathological Demand Avoidance

This illustrated storybook is aimed at children aged 7-11 to help them recognise the features of PDA, and develop tools to support them. A helpful introduction for parents and carers explains how it feels to live with PDA, and the appendices at the back provide useful strategies to be adopted at school and at home. Author: K. I. Al-Ghani  Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers   Find on publisher's website

Demand-Anxiety Cycle: resource template

A tool to help young people, parents & professionals understand demand avoidance and talk together. Tick boxes that apply, write on it, or edit the document…. Whatever works for you.   Download editable template   A third party German translation of this document (by a German parent of a PDA child) is also available here. Please note: the PDA Society is not able to verify the accuracy of translations listed on our website.  

What PDA means to me – editable resource

This resource was created to help a child going from being home-schooled into a special school, but could be used in many other situations. It lists traits like high anxiety, impulsivity and demand avoidance that made life difficult, with specific examples and thoughts on what helps. It also has space for including information about strengths, interests and so on. Created as a template to be adapted in whatever way you choose.   Completed example (pdf)   Editable version (docx)

General PDA support

A range of third party Facebook groups covering different topics, for different audiences. General The Autism and PDA Group PDA Inclusive Universal  PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) UK Group PDA Global Group PDA Pathological Demand Avoidance Families & Practitioners (formerly: PDA Pathological Demand Avoidance Discussion) The NEW Lighter-Side of PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) PDA Awareness & Support Group The Autism Coffee Shop with Tigger Pritchard Free PDA private Group (and public page and blog) Local (UK) Many UK-based local support groups can also be found on Facebook. Some are private groups and some are public pages. We have a separate area for these Local groups which is searchable and sortable by region. The groups listed there which are on Facebook are indicated with a 'Facebook Group' tag. Adults Adult PDA Support Network | Facebook * PDA Adults Global Group Adult PDA Support Group - Helping YOU find your way in the MAZE PDA Adults (Pathological Demand Avoidance) Support group (PDA adults only) PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance Syndrome) Support for Young Adults (18-25) Teens/young people Teen PDA Support Network PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) Support for Young People Siblings PDA Sibling Support (for teenagers 13-17) Parents & carers PDA Autonomous Parenting Support Group PDA-Support for caregivers of teens with PDA [...]

Blogs and videos by children & young people

A platform to showcase the voices and talents of young PDAers who write; blog; create videos, art, music and other content. All links are independent and external to the PDA Society. Me Just Me Facebook page follows a young teen who shares stories and real life experiences about PDA, autism, anxiety, PTSD and home education. Me just me also advocates for teen authenticity and Neurodiversity and discusses teen mental health, self care and positivity. Also on YouTube and Instagram. Libby's Autism Blog on Twitter - the writings of Libby, an autistic 14-year-old with demand avoidance. Co-author of Can You See Me?, Do You Know Me? and Ways To Be Me. Little M's Journey to The Outside World shares insightful videos on YouTube, talking about being autistic and having PDA. Amelia Durdy shares her musical talent on her Facebook page. She also fundraises for her local food bank with her performances. Edith has a blog called The Autistic Artists where she shares her drawings and thoughts. Edith also spoke to Julia Daunt in this 2017 Interview with Edith, PDA from the perspective of a 10-year old and recorded this Facebook Live video in 2019. ORLANDO VATV records fun videos and vlogs for YouTube about his life and experiences. He also has a [...]

Me and My PDA

Me and My PDA: A Guide to Pathological Demand Avoidance for Young People This beautifully illustrated guide helps young people with Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) to understand their diagnosis, develop self-awareness and implement their own personalised problem-solving strategies. Written in consultation with young people with PDA and their families, this book recognises the importance of handing control back to the young person, and that there is no one-size-fits-all PDA profile. Readers are encouraged to engage throughout with interactive writing, doodling and checklist exercises to explore their own particular characteristics, strengths and challenges. Me and My PDA is sensitively tailored to the needs and experiences of young people (aged 10+) with PDA. The guide is designed to grow with the reader, and can be used for many years as the young person develops and changes - making it invaluable to PDA-diagnosed individuals and their families. Authors: Glòria Durà-Vilà and Tamar Levi Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers   Find on publisher's website

Can I tell you about Pathological Demand Avoidance syndrome?

Can I tell you about Pathological Demand Avoidance syndrome?: A guide for friends, family and professionals Meet Issy – an 11-year-old girl with pathological demand avoidance syndrome (PDA), a condition on the autism spectrum. Issy invites readers to learn about PDA from her perspective, helping them to understand how simple, everyday demands can cause her great anxiety and stress. Issy tells readers about all the ways she can be helped and supported by those around her. This illustrated book is for readers aged 7 and upwards, and will be an excellent way to increase understanding about PDA in the classroom or at home. It also includes practical tips and recommended resources for parents and professionals. Authors: Ruth Fidler and Phil Christie Illustrated by: Jonathon Powell Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers   Find on publisher's website

Its a PanDA thing

“It’s a PanDA thing” is the third in a series of short picture stories aimed at supporting those first conversations between parents, carers and their children about an Autism, Aspergers or PDA related diagnosis. Inspired by her own journey with her now 8 yr old boy Leo and his brother Ben, the books do not aim to guide or explain symptoms or what they mean - just to very simply recognise and accept what it might feel like to those on the spectrum and those close to them - especially siblings and loved ones. Beautifully illustrated with the incredible artwork of Zeke Clough you will enjoy the gentle rhyming lilt of Rachel’s prose and also the easy perspective she provides on her boys. With parents and carer notes provided by the PDA society. To read the early part of Leo's journey see: The Thing: a young boy's journey with Asperger Syndrome.   Author: Rachel Jackson   Find on SEN books

Can You See Me?

With diary entries written by eleven-year-old Libby Scott, based on her own experiences of autism with a demand avoidant profile, this pioneering book, written in collaboration with esteemed author Rebecca Westcott, has been widely praised for its realistic portrayal of autism. Tally is eleven years old and she's just like her friends. Well, sometimes she is. If she tries really hard to be. Because there's something that makes Tally not the same as her friends. Something she can't cover up, no matter how hard she tries: Tally is autistic. Tally's autism means there are things that bother her even though she wishes they didn't. It means that some people misunderstand, her and feel frustrated by her. People think that because Tally's autistic, she doesn't realise what they're thinking, but Tally sees and hears - and notices - all of it. And, honestly? That's not the easiest thing to live with. Perfect for fans of Wonder and The Goldfish Boy, this sucker punch to the heart is valuable reading for children and adults alike. Endearing, insightful and warmly uplifting, Can You See Me? is a story of autism, empathy and kindness that will touch readers of all ages. Authors: Co-written by eleven-year-old autistic blogger Libby Scott [...]