Building Foundations: Pathological Demand Avoidance – supporting children who avoid everyday demands

Explore clinical perspectives on PDA, including the complex psychosocial factors that contribute to demand-avoidant behaviour in early childhood, and how we can apply effective, evidence-based and neuroaffirming practices when working with children with PDA.

In recent years, the term pathological demand avoidance (PDA) has emerged as a term to describe a set of challenges faced by some autistic children and the adults who support them. PDA describes a characteristic behavioural pattern of avoiding or challenging adults’ requests, instructions and expectations to an extent that the child’s wellbeing and daily activities are significantly impacted.