What is PDA? New to the United States, Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) Syndrome is a small, distinct profile of autism characterized by avoiding demands and expectations due to an anxiety-based need for control. Our guest, Diane Gould, is the founder of PDA North America and the first American professional with a certification in Pathological Demand Avoidance Syndrome. She notes that those with PDA often experience panic attacks that appear to the outside world like meltdowns or a behavior problem due to being easily triggered by stimuli. Unfortunately, many professionals respond to emotional events with traditional interventions like talking or crowding the person that escalate or worsen the behavior. Gould notes that "the journey to understanding your child shouldn't be made harder by professionals." Learn more about PDA in Gould's guest article: specialneeds-law.com/pda-autism-profile and on the PDA North America site: www.pdanorthamerica.com

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