Welcome to my "Ask Me Anything" blog post series!
I answer lots of questions on my social media channels, and it makes sense to share this information (anonymously!) in case it is useful for others, too.
"I have a learner with a PDA profile. His interests change most days, and he refuses to follow a timetable, so there is no structure. He will refuse any tasks given by an adult. If we give him choices, he wants to do something else. He shouts all day long, and for all emotions/feelings - happy, excited, sad, surprised, annoyed.
Honestly, I’m exhausted, and I hate going to school without a plan for him. Any advice?"
This is tough for him, you and all involved! Easy burnout territory. This is all typical PDA behaviour. The need for control will inevitably lead to this if the feeling of being unsafe and out of control continues.
If it were me, I would try hard to be in the moment with him. Join his new interests and learn as much as I could alongside him. Building trust and intrigue. Wherever I could hide it, I’d slot in learning, but that wouldn’t be my focus at all. My focus would be on building trust and safety.
I hope that helps! If you have any other questions, let me know.
*I am not a doctor or medical professional, so for some questions, you might want to contact your GP, the National Autistic Society, or the NHS.
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