I Have ADHD Podcast 352 The Kids Who Can’t Be Told What to Do: PDA & Low-Demand Parenting (with Casey Ehrlich)
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Nov 18, 2025 In this engaging conversation, Casey Ehrlich, founder of At Peace Parents and a leading expert on Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), shares her insights as a researcher and mother of two PDA children. She dives into the concept of PDA as a nervous system response to perceived threats and explains how traditional parenting strategies can misinterpret a child's need for autonomy as defiance. Casey provides practical tips for low-demand parenting, emphasizing the importance of compassion and understanding in navigating these behaviors to foster safety and regulation.
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PDA As A Nervous-System Response
- PDA is a nervous-system response where perceived loss of autonomy triggers fight/flight/freeze reactions.
- This perception accumulates and can lead to burnout disabling basic functions like eating or speaking.
Shoes, Seatbelts, And Choice
- Casey describes her older son who complied when he had choice but resisted when he lacked autonomy.
- His regulation improved when she recognized autonomy, not just sensory issues, as the trigger.
Childhood Burnout: Feeding And Regression
- Casey's son hit burnout at 4.5, stopping eating, speaking, and walking for a period.
- He survived on three processed foods and risked needing a feeding tube until supports changed.