ElliottI don't personally believe that PDA and autism are at all the same thing
But. Both are valuable neurodivergences that i wish each side understood the other better - autistics are undeniably lovely, PDAers are unnecessarily maligned
BeverleyI'm not sure I'd say "maligned".
I know I must only recognise a percentage of PDA struggles and I know that a PDA person's difficulties are far, far greater than the neuro-typical's in their life... but it is SO, SO difficult to always keep PDA issues in mind.
I'm sure there are plenty who don't try to understand, or can't 'get it' which must be awful. However, some do try, it's just lots of things seem counterintuitive and that makes it hard to keep at the front of one's mind.
@TalktoBeverley is it necessary to keep them always in mind? Or just when actually interacting with one of us?
From lived experience, look for the person with constant odd body language, the one who'll do anything to keep the peace until literally we can not: then please bear in mind the need to understand a PDAer.
If you're not around us, then tend to the neurotypes you are with. If you have a PDAer about: please just value them
I don't need to be told to value someone with PDA thank you.
And yes, it is necessary for me to keep such struggles "always in mind", because a PDA family member lives with me at the moment. Otherwise there'd be constant clashes.
@TalktoBeverley well. Wonder why i described PDAers as overly maligned
Where did I point the finger at the PDA person? I didn't allocate blame.
I'll remember not to interact with you again.
It's too difficult.