Family & Siblings
Supporting the Siblings of a PDA Child
When you have a child with PDA, so much of your attention can go toward managing dysregulation, meltdowns and keeping everyone safe. But it's importan…
Read articlePDA Pathways Blog
Real stories. Practical ideas. You’re not alone.
Articles from lived experience, practical support ideas, school advocacy, burnout, regulation and everyday life with PDA.
School
Back to School
Back-to-school time can bring a LOT of big feelings for PDA kids and us! New routines, new teachers, more expectations, earlier mornings, and less dow…
Read articleLived Experience
When Ordinary Moments Feel Extraordinary
Sometimes it’s hard to be happy in the moments that are supposed to be happy.
Read articleMedication & Support
What Is a PRN Medication for a PDA Child?
If you have a child with PDA, you may have heard the term PRN medication and wondered what it means.
Read articleRegulation & Behaviour
Skin Picking or BFRB
If your child with a PDA profile picks at their skin, you are definitely not alone.
Read articleParent Support
The Benefits of Respite Care
Caring for a PDA child can mean being “on” all the time—managing emotions, advocating at school, navigating demands, appointments, routines, and every…
Read articleMedication & Research
DSM & Medication Research
Trying to find the “right” medication for ADHD and PDA symptoms can feel completely exhausting. There are so many options — stimulants, non-stimulants…
Read articleRegulation & Motivation
Dopamine Hits
A lot of PDA kids live in an almost constant state of stress, pressure, or nervous system overwhelm. Their brains are often scanning for demands, expe…
Read articleLived Experience
Hard Days
Some days it’s really hard to find the positive—and I think it’s important to say that out loud.
Read articleCo-Regulation
Shared Calm
Co-regulation is one of the most powerful—and often overlooked—supports for children with a PDA profile. When a child is in distress, overwhelmed, or …
Read articleAutism & PDA
Special Interests
Special interests are one of the most fascinating, complex, and often misunderstood parts of autism. From the outside, they can look intense—sometimes…
Read articleMasking & Invisible Struggles
She Looks Great.....
When “She Looks Fine” Doesn’t Tell the Whole Story
Read articleLived Experience
When “Just Say Hello” Isn’t Simple
When “Just Say Hello” Isn’t Simple: A Moment That Broke My Heart
Read articleUnderstanding Behaviour
It Looks Like Defiance But Isn’t
If you’re parenting a child with a PDA profile, you’ve likely seen behaviour that looks like defiance—refusing, ignoring, pushing back over simple thi…
Read articleMedication & Lived Experience
Magic Pill
My pastor was telling a story the other day about his daughter and how, with a recent diagnosis, it meant she would need to take a pill every day for …
Read articleSupport Dog
Our Support Dog
Last night was a milestone we’ve been dreaming about for months. For the first time in nine months, our child—our beautiful, bright PDA kid—slept in h…
Read articleParent Support
Finding your Tribe
I felt so isolated—deeply, painfully alone—in a world that didn’t seem to have language for what we were living.
Read articleSchool Advocacy
I’m a School Advocate
Yeah, I’m a school advocate — something I never realized I didn’t want to be. It’s hard, because I don’t want to be that mom — the one who’s always as…
Read articleEveryday Life
Navigating Seasonal Changes
Seasonal changes can be especially tough for kids with PDA. Shifts in daylight, weather, and routines can heighten anxiety and make everyday life feel…
Read articlePDA Burnout
Burnout - When does it End
Some days feel heavier than others. My daughter is in burnout right now, and it’s a challenge I can’t quite put into words. The hardest part isn’t jus…
Read articleUnderstanding PDA
PDA vs. Autism
While PDA is part of the autism spectrum, I’ve learned that it looks very different from what many people think of as “typical” autism. One of the big…
Read articleDiagnosis & Understanding
Late Diagnosis, New Beginning
I wish we had known earlier and that bothered me for a long time - like so many others, we were given labels that almost fit, but not quite. First it …
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