In school, this can lead to perplexing behaviors. So, kids with autism will be less likely to go along to get along. “But we know with autism there is a disconnect in that type of social learning. That’s social learning, she explains, where kids are just naturally tuning in to things other people are tuning in to and learning things without having to be directly taught. They understand that they need to do what the person in charge is telling them to do, and most everybody else is doing that as well.” “For many kids, it’s clear that the teacher is the one in charge. And rigidity may make them uncomfortable going with the flow.įor example, she says, take the situation in a classroom. While neurotypical kids do many routine things because they’re expected to or because that’s what everyone else is doing, autistic kids might not feel the same motivation to fit in. They are less tuned into social communication than other kids, so when a demand or expectation is placed on them, it can feel like it came out of nowhere. Many children with autism spectrum disorder are inherently inflexible in their behavior and have rigid patterns of thinking, Dr. As she explains, “Any external demand that is coming from somebody else, or that the person perceives is coming from another person - that generates a lot of internal discomfort, which leads to the avoidance.”
But it’s better understood as a result of anxiety and inflexibility. In kids who fit the PDA profile, resistance is sometimes mistaken for willful defiance, says Cynthia Martin, PsyD, clinical director of the Autism Center at the Child Mind Institute. It’s called pathological when the avoidance is extreme and interferes with functioning at home or at school.
#Pathological behavior examples how to#
People with PDA tend to have an adverse reaction to being told how to behave or what to do, even when it’s something that’s an ordinary part of their daily life - and even when it would benefit them. It is seen most often in people diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. That pattern of behavior is called pathological demand avoidance, or PDA. Avoidance can take many forms, including making excuses, creating a distraction, intense focus on something else, withdrawing, escaping, or having a meltdown or panic attack. But some go to extremes to avoid or resist anything they perceive as a demand. Working with kids who have PDA you have to tap into what motivates them to do something, rather than butting heads with them.Īll kids avoid doing things they’re asked to do from time to time. Kids can have PDA if they’re not on the autism spectrum, too. They may not grasp the schedule or structure in a social situation like a classroom, so when a demand is placed on them, it can feel like it came out of nowhere. While other kids do many routine things because they’re expected to or because that’s what everyone else is doing, autistic kids might not feel the same motivation to fit in. At home they may refuse to do routine things like taking a shower or getting dressed, so parents end up doing a lot of things for them that they could be doing themselves.Īvoidance can take many forms, including making excuses, creating a distraction, intense focus on something else, withdrawing, escaping, or having a meltdown or panic attack.Įxperts say kids with autism may have PDA because they tend to be inflexible and they aren’t as tuned in to social cues as other kids. This makes it hard to teachers to know what they can do.
At school, these kids often resist doing classwork even though it’s not hard for them. This avoidance is called “pathological” because it interferes with their functioning at home or at school. It is seen most often in people with autism. But some go to extremes to ignore or resist anything they perceive as a demand. All kids avoid doing things they’re asked to do from time to time.
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