About the Book
Transform Meltdowns into Breakthroughs: Your Complete Guide to Parenting Children with PDA and Autism
Are you exhausted from parenting a child who seems different, but you're not sure why? Whether you're struggling to get a diagnosis, already know your child has PDA, autism, or both, or are simply tired of advice that doesn't work, this guide offers real solutions.
Do you recognize these daily struggles?
- You suspect PDA or autism but don't know how to start the diagnostic process
- You're overwhelmed trying to choose between different therapies
- Traditional autism strategies aren't working because PDA requires a different approach
- School administrators don't understand PDA's unique needs, making advocacy a constant battle
You're not alone - no matter where in the world you are. The challenges of raising a child with PDA and autism aren't limited by borders, and neither are the solutions. Your purchase includes access to international support directories covering over 18 countries, ensuring families worldwide can access local support. From Australia to the UK, Canada to New Zealand, you'll gain access to curated, country-specific support groups, services, and resources tailored to your location.
This book provides the roadmap you've been searching for, combining practical strategies with step-by-step guidance. Written by Michelle Davis, a healthcare policy expert and mother of a child with autism and PDA, this isn't another clinical manual-it's your practical guide to creating real change, whether you're in Boston or Brisbane.
Inside, you'll discover:
✔ Complete Diagnostic Guide:
- Understanding the signs of PDA and autism
- Navigating the evaluation process
- Finding the right healthcare providers
✔ Essential Financial Resource Access:
- Securing Medicaid and SSI benefits and support
- Insurance coverage for therapies
- Accessing grants and free financial assistance
✔ Education & Family Solutions:
- Winning school accommodations
- Strategies for homeschooling and charter schools
- Supporting siblings and maintaining family balance
- Managing public spaces and social situations
✔ Therapy Solutions:
- Understanding different therapy options
- Choosing therapeutic approaches
- Making therapy work with PDA
✔ PDA Management Toolbox:
- Strategies for managing demand avoidance
- Techniques for preventing meltdowns
- Methods for reducing anxiety that actually work
Whether you're just starting the diagnostic journey or seeking fresh strategies, you'll learn how to:
- Navigate medical and educational systems confidently
- Transform daily battles into peaceful interactions
- Create a supportive environment to reduce anxiety
- Build independence while honoring PDA needs
This book is for parents who need solutions-not theory. For families seeking hope, not judgment. Transform your family's life today.
About the Author :
Michelle Davis, author of "A Practical Parent's Guide to PDA and Autism" and "Autism Diagnosis, Now What?", brings a unique perspective as both a healthcare policy expert and mother of a child with autism, PDA, and ADHD. While her professional life focuses on healthcare policy and government affairs, her most profound education has come from parenting a neurodivergent child.Living daily with meltdowns, anxiety, and sensory challenges has taught her what no textbook could. She understands the overwhelming feelings parents experience when facing an autism diagnosis, navigating PDA behaviors, or managing ADHD symptoms. Through sleepless nights, challenging days, and countless adaptations, she's developed practical strategies that actually work in real homes with real families.Her books offer parents the support she wished she'd had, combining hard-won personal experience with actionable solutions for managing autism, PDA, ADHD, anxiety, and depression. Michelle's mission is to help other parents feel less alone and more empowered as they navigate their own journey with neurodivergent children, turning her family's challenges into hope for others.
Review :
Joseph Grieco
5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely FANTASTIC (and extremely thorough) Guide!!Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2025
This guide is absolutely unbelievable!! While the title and contents may speak to PDA in particular, it is overall the very best guide to "dealing with" autism on EVERY...SINGLE...FRONT!! And we have read a LOT of them. Michelle Davis has clearly been in the thick of it and seems to know what's hiding around every corner...and there are plenty of corners.
We have been raising two children on the spectrum for over 20 years now. From adoption days through preschool to horrific play dates to estranged "friends" to IEPs, not to mention constant swim time and horseback riding and "alone time in the yard", all the way up to and including college (YIKES!!). And Michelle doesn't miss a single step...I swear she addresses all of the stages and more. And provides fantastic guidance that doesn't ever feel like "preachy advice", which I know this parent is very sensitive to.
I wish this guide was written 20 years sooner, but it's always nice to encounter someone who is "working through it" as we have and are still doing, and she is not too embarrassed to share and help.
If you have a child who you think or know is somewhere on this beautiful and colorful "spectrum", you should buy this guide and keep it with you at all times. Nothing better than having a "friend" at your side!!
All4 Adventures
5.0 out of 5 stars Demystifying PDAReviewed in the United States on February 24, 2025
The authors provide clear explanations of PDA symptoms and behaviors, helping readers grasp the emotional roots of demand avoidance. By framing behaviors as responses to anxiety rather than defiance, caregivers are empowered to respond with empathy. Throughout the book, practical tools and strategies are highlighted, including tips for creating accommodating environments and effective communication methods. Real-life case studies further illustrate how families have successfully implemented the advice. The guide also emphasizes the importance of self-care for parents, encouraging them to seek support networks. Overall, this comprehensive and thoughtful book is a must-read for anyone supporting a child with PDA, blending empathy with actionable advice. Highly recommended!
Dan Afrasiabi
5.0 out of 5 stars Timely, Effective and Informative
Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2025
An amazing resource for parents, schools and service providers. Very timely too, given the focus of the new Secretary of Health in understanding the root causes associated with the growing number of cases being diagnosed in the US. Highly recommend!
