The Best Books About PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance)

Are you looking to learn more about PDA? Maybe you suspect yourself or a family member may be PDA. Maybe you have an official diagnosis and are seeking support to understand the profile more. In this post I have compiled a round-up of some of the best books about PDA out there – enjoy!

What is PDA?

Firstly, what is PDA? PDA stands for Pathological Demand Avoidance and is widely understood to be a profile of autism. As it is not currently included in the DSM-V, it can be very difficult to obtain a diagnosis of PDA, and there can be a real lack of understanding and awareness, even among professionals. It’s so important that PDA is better understood, not least because the strategies used when caring for PDA children are often almost the exact opposite of what would be recommended for autism in general.

You can find out lots more about PDA by visiting the PDA Society website, which has a wealth of information. Also, check out the books listed in the rest of this post!

The best books about PDA:

So, in no particular order, here is my round-up of some of the best books about PDA:

PDA books for educators –

The Educator’s Experience of Pathological Demand Avoidance – Laura Kerbey

‘The Educator’s Experience of PDA’ is short and super easy to read so it’s a great choice for busy teaching professionals working with PDA children. The book contains many entertaining and insightful anecdotes from Laura Kerbey’s own experience of working with PDA kids, as well as amazing illustrations by Eliza Fricker.

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The Teacher’s Introduction to Pathological Demand Avoidance – Clare Truman

‘The Teacher’s Introduction to PDA’ outlines effective ways in which teachers and school staff can support PDA learners, through a child-led approach. It’s really practical and focuses on staff building a collaborative relationship with pupils to help them thrive.

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Collaborative Approaches To Learning For Pupils With PDA – Ruth Fidler & Phil Christie

This book is written by PDA experts and outlines effective strategies for supporting pupils with PDA in education settings.

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PDA books for families/parents –

Pathological Demand Avoidance Explained – Sally Cat

‘Pathological Demand Avoidance Explained’ communicates the lived experience of being PDA through graphic memes. It’s really easy to understand and royalties for the book are donated to the PDA Society.

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The Family Experience of PDA – Eliza Fricker

‘The Family Experience of PDA’ is a light-hearted guide to PDA parenting. It contains a combination of humorous anecdotes and clever, comedic sketches that beautifully capture the essence of PDA.

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Pathological Demand Avoidance Syndrome: My Daughter Is Not Naughty – Jane Alison Sherwin

‘My Daughter Is Not Naughty’ is a really relatable (sometimes painfully so) account of a parent’s fight to be heard, and for her child to be understood. It contains personal, first-hand experience of strategies to try, and is full of advice and support.

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Helping Your Child With PDA Live A Happier Life – Alice Running

Written by a parent of a PDA child, ‘Helping Your Child With PDA Live A Happier Life’ is insightful and informative. Importantly, like all the books in this blog post, it is not intended to change children, but rather to create the right type of environment in which they can be authentically themselves.

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Understanding Pathological Demand Avoidance Syndrome In Children – Phil Christie, Margaret Duncan, Ruth Fidler & Zara Healy

‘Understanding Pathological Demand Avoidance Syndrome In Children’ is a user-friendly introductory handbook offering a complete overview of PDA. It looks at the impact of the condition on different aspects of a child’s life, and what can be done to help. It also goes as far as the teenage years, with advice on how to assist a successful transition from adolescence to adulthood. This book is also excellent for educators and other professionals, as well as parents.

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Books by PDA adults –

PDA By PDAers – Sally Cat

‘PDA By PDAers’ explores the diversity of PDA traits through the voices of over 70 PDA adults. It’s an insightful and fascinating read.

“To think of PDA as merely involving demand avoidance is to me akin to thinking of tigers as merely having stripes.”

Sally Cat

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Being Julia – Julia Daunt

‘Being Julia’ is Julia Daunt’s memoir, detailing how PDA impacts her life, while maintaining a positive outlook on what it is possible to achieve.

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PDA books for children –

The Panda On PDA – Gloria Dura-Vila

‘The Panda On PDA’ is a positive, child-friendly guide to PDA. It is written from the perspective of a panda who has lots of talents but finds it hard to do what others want. It’s a really honest book that describes the challenges of PDA but also emphasises the strengths and how PDA individuals can thrive when given the correct supports.

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The PDA-Saurus – Sophie Cook

The ‘PDA-Saurus’ is all about a journey towards autonomy, and invites children in to a world in which they can feel validated and understood.

Pretty Darn Awesome: Divergent Not Deficient – Lauren O’Grady

‘Pretty Darn Awesome’ is a story about a little boy with PDA. It talks about his daily struggles and also his amazing strengths. It’s a great book for helping to explain PDA to children in a positive way.

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Me And My PDA – Gloria Dura-Vila & Tamar Levi

‘Me And My PDA’ is an illustrated guide to help kids aged 10+ understand their PDA diagnosis and implement their own supportive strategies. The book is interactive, with writing, doodling and checklist exercises for the young person to complete.

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I really hope this list is helpful – I hope to keep adding to it as new books about PDA are released. For detailed reviews of many of these books, check out Steph Curtis’ fab blog – Steph’s Two Girls. Steph herself has a book about PDA coming out in 2024, which no doubt will be very insightful 🙂

Thanks for reading!

Til next time,

Hannah xx

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