Today, I am going to begin to explain a bit more about PanKwake. In particular, I am going to sign post you to a website about the form of autism she has. It is called…
Pathological Demand Avoidance
or PDA for short.
I hate that name. It makes it sounds as if she is naughty. As if she has control over her condition and actions. She does not.
Like other conditions on the Autistic Spectrum, PDA is an anxiety disorder. It is the result of sensory modulations issues…too loud, too bright, too everything in PanKwake’s case. But for those with PDA, they respond to these stresses with an intense need to be in control of their environments. This means that THEY want…no, NEED…to have control of and everyone and everything in it. So they appear to avoid any demands placed upon them by others.
But before I overload you with PanKwake’s story, hear what the ‘experts’ have to say about it…
Tomorrow…and maybe more…I will tell you what PDA is like for our family. And more importantly,
Self-Directed Learning & Neurodiversity 