![]() ![]() ![]() There are other common co-morbid conditions in the green circle which likewise do not require an Autistic Spectrum Disorder diagnosis to be valid.Ī child (or adult) can be given an ODD diagnosis without an autism diagnosis however every child/adult with PDA is autistic. This diagram below, made by the PDA Society ( shows that PDA falls within the circle of Autistic Spectrum Disorders, whereas ODD does not. So back to my original question: what is the difference between ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder) and PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance)? Of course many children have these worries, but they are not autistic, and the difference to us (having one older child who is also not autistic) was the extreme distress which it would, and does, cause our younger girl, and the long-lasting knock-on effects if we choose to force the issue. Others are anxiety driven going to new places or the fear of being sick in the car prevent us from getting her out as much as we'd like. In fact, we've come to learn that many of her refusals are sensory led. She didn't get irrationally distressed when we walked a different way to nursery just to annoy us her fear of not being in control and not knowing what was happening was the cause of that. She didn't refuse to wear socks just because she wanted to be awkward, or just because we'd asked her to it was a sensory issue. ![]() There may not have seemed to be a rhyme or reason for her refusal to do the most basic of tasks when younger, but we soon learned that there was. Oppositional she may have been, but she definitely wasn't defiant. It wouldn't have been right, but it would have been an obvious choice given that the word oppositional was being used. We were lucky, I feel, to escape the suggestion of Oppositional Defiant Disorder as a diagnosis. The last two characteristics are not often associated with classic autism or Aspergers, and that is where we saw (and still see) the most difference. She was passive, resisted demands, led by a need to control, sociable and comfortable with role-play. We could tick almost all of the diagnostic criteria for our girl the language delay with catch-up seemed particularly relevant. Reasons for that are slightly complicated, but in a nutshell PDA is a relatively new diagnosis in medical terms and so not 'in the manuals' for diagnoses.Īfter a few months of searching for general information on autism, we experienced our 'lightbulb moment' when we stumbled across Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA). Much as I loved our paediatrician for just 'getting it' (and by that I mean spotting the signs of autism straight away), and for giving us a quick diagnosis (not that I was pushing for one, it was all somewhat of a surprise to me), this diagnosis is what I would actually call sitting on the fence. ![]()
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