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At the end of the book, there will be a few pages dedicated to summarising the difficulties you have identified and the strategies that you have found that are helpful. Your parents and those caring for you may want to photocopy these summary pages so everyone can access them easily and keep them in mind. There will also be space to tell us, if you wish to do so, about any other difficulties and strategies that have not been included here.
Autism Spectrum Disorder and PDA
Before PDA was described, many strengths and differences were grouped together under one name: Autism Spectrum Disorder, or ASD for short. You share the main characteristics of ASD as well as sharing the main characteristics of PDA. So you have a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder with these other features which can be called PDA.
What PDA is not
PDA is not your fault or your family’s
fault. It is not anyone’s fault. Each
person’s brain is different: some
people are better at
some things than others
are and some people
find some things much more difficult than others do. People with PDA did not choose to find some things difficult.
PDA is not an illness. You must not worry about PDA making you physically unwell. It will not go away but it will not hurt you. It will become easier with time as you learn how to deal with the difficulties and make the most of your many strengths. It’s good to remember that PDA certainly does not prevent you from having a wonderful and meaningful life!
Your PDA does NOT define you
On a very bad day you may feel that your PDA is the whole world, everything you can see and feel. You might think it is all that you are, and that there is nothing left of you. We can assure you that you are much MUCH more than your PDA.
PDA is part of who you are but not all!
You are not defined by your PDA. Although young people with PDA have similarities, PDA does not define someone because it is different for each person.
Each person with PDA is unique.
We have written this book to help you to find your description of PDA: what PDA means for you.
Important facts about YOU
It would be great to know some facts about you that have nothing to do with your PDA. You may want to start by writing down what you most enjoy doing.
• My hobbies are / I really like to:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
You may want to write the names of the most important people in your life.
• My favourite people are:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
You may have a pet that is very dear to you.
• My pet is a:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
and my pet’s name is:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Do you have a favourite toy or game that you
prefer to the rest of your other toys or games?
• My favourite toy/game is:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
How do you like to relax?
• I chill out by:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Let’s explore what you are good at.
• I’m good at:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
• You may want to ask your parents what makes them proud to be your parent and write it here:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
If you want to, you can write or draw any
facts about yourself here. You can also add
any that we have not included in this book.
You can change this at any time.
You may want to do a drawing of your hobbies, your favourite toy or a drawing of yourself doing something you are good at in the box below. You may want to write down any interesting things about yourself too.
You, the teacher
Fancy using your wonderful imagination? How about doing a little acting or role-playing?
A teacher is someone who explains things. Could you
become a teacher from now on? In your role as
a teacher, you are faced with a very important
question: what does PDA mean for
YOU? We are all eager to learn the
answer from you!
To help you to answer the question, we
have written down the difficulties that children
and young people with PDA have shared with us.
We have also gathered some of the strategies that have
helped them to cope better with their difficulties.
It is very important to clarify before you start that not all of the difficulties and strategies mentioned here will be applicable to you. As there are no two people with PDA who are the same, you may want to tick the difficulties and strategies that apply to you and add those that we have missed.
Also, some of the things you identify with today may well change in time as you grow
