PDA - EARLY DELAY?

Research shows that a large majority of children with a demand avoidant profile are delayed in some aspects of their early speech and language, can have a more socially accepted use of eye contact (other than when avoiding demands of course!) than others on the autism spectrum. 

There can also be difficulties with taking things literally and understanding sarcasm and teasing. J is a very literal thinker, but she does totally get sarcasm and humour.

Difficulty with processing and needing additional time to do this can sometimes cause  misunderstanding/disruption to the communication process and can become a contributing factor to the behaviour that follows.

Obsessive Behaviour

Strong fascinations and special interests to an 'obsessive' state are very characteristic of people with all autism profiles. What we have found with J is that these obsessive interests nearly always have a life span. She has been through many over the years from horses, slime, certain films/programmes/Youtube bloggers and crystals to name a few. 

Some she will revisit, some haven’t been looked at, talked about or watched in a very long time. She will watch a programme over and over and still find the same bits funny or scary or whatever and has the same reaction as if watching it for the first time!

For us though one of the main obsessions has been people, children mainly, from friendships at school to kids she may meet at the park whilst playing and automatically assuming they are her ‘best friend’.