Firstly, let’s explore if you’re in the right place, is PDA what you think it is? 

We’re not linked to: 

PANS / PANDAS, or the other PDAs (The Pharmacists Defence Association, personal digital assistants or public displays of affection).

We are instead supporting everything to do with: 

Pathological Demand Avoidance, which is widely understood to be a profile of autism.

The term Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)  was first introduced by developmental psychologist Prof Elizabeth Newson OBE in the 1980s.  Research remains in its early stages but although some people feel the word pathological is appropriate to explain the ‘all-consuming’ nature of PDA; not everyone feels comfortable with the word. Therefore, you may instead have heard PDA referred to as:

• Persistent Drive for Autonomy
   
• Pervasive Drive for Autonomy

     or

• Extreme Demand Avoidance

For further information about the history of PDA click here.

To continue your journey and discover more about Odyssey PDA click below.