06/03/2025
Children with a Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) profile- also more affirmingly understood as Persistent Drive for Autonomy- experience everyday demands, even ones that seem small or routine like “put on your shoes” as a threat response. This isn’t defiance. It’s a nervous system saying, “I need to feel safe and in control.”
It’s important that children with a PDA profile are provided an approach to care that meets them right where they are!
This means:
✨Co-creating safe environments where demands are invitational, not imposed
✨Honoring autonomy as a developmental need, not a reward
✨Using relationship, not control, as a foundation
✨Trusting that avoidance is communication, not opposition
✨And, one of our most powerful tools? PLAY! Play is inherently flexible, choice-based, and low-pressure, making it the perfect bridge to connection for children with a PDA profile.
Through play, kids can:
🪁Explore autonomy safely
🪁Practice co-regulation with trusted adults
🪁Make meaning of their world on their own terms
🪁Access joy and creativity without external demands
At Elevated Kids, we follow the child’s lead, using curiosity, compassion, and play to build trust. Because when autonomy is honored and relationship is prioritized, children feel safe and regulated to connect, and learning is limitless! 🤍💫
For more information on our Elevated Play program at Elevated Kids, or if you have questions about PDA, contact us today at elevatedkids.com ✨