Infographics | Autball

top of page

Home
About
Illustrations
- Cartoon
- Infographics
Blog
PDA
More
- Contact
- Merch and Support
More

Use tab to navigate through the menu items.

Possible Sensory Triggers Around Bath Time by Autball

Why you can't just do the thing (not everything is PDA)by Autball

Autistic Empathy Can Look Like - by Autball

Signs your demand avoidant person/child is actually trying to work with you-by Autball.

Bedtime 1.png

Infographic by Autball entitled: PDA vs OUTWARD BEHAVIOR. *PDA = Pathological Demand Avoidance. A white box with blue text labeled “Internal Drivers” reads: PDA is - Hypersensitivity to the perceived loss of or threat to personal autonomy and Highly sensitive Neuroception. A larger white box with blue text is labeled “Coping Mechanisms and Stress Behaviors.” It reads: PDA is not - Saying no; Doing the opposite; Arguing; Hurtful words; Yelling; Controlling behavior; Threats; Making up excuses; Complying; Running away; Hiding; Physical aggression; Getting quiet; Revenge; Bargaining; Pretending to be something else; Doing nothing; Doing things their own way; Doing things while no one is looking; Pretending not to hear you; Doing things before anyone can ask.

Possible reasons autistic people struggle with empathy by Autball

Bedtime 2.png

Neurodiversity Infographic by Autball

Neurodiversity Infographic by Autball

Neurodiversity Infographic by Autball

Bad Assessment BINGO (Adult Edition) - Autball

More Than Allism poster.png

Allism...Perfect poster.png

ToneItDownTaupe poster.png

Allism Mom poster.png

PDA Is.png

PDA-Please!.png

Different NOs.png

Black text on a light green-to-aqua background, by Autball.

“For one, we’re kinda throwing non-PDA Autistics under the bus here, even if it is unintentional.

Typical autism strategies don’t work for a lot of Autistic people because they’re based on outdated, one-size-fits-all ideas of what Autistic people are like.

For example, some Autistics really do have a high need for predictability and like a consistent routine. ‘Autism Professionals’ have decided this means that it’s best practice to give ALL Autistic children (or adults in care) a strict schedule and stick to it.

However, not all Autistic people do need a completely scheduled day. Even if we do, people often fail to realize that a *routine* is not necessarily the same thing as a *schedule.* Also, they rarely consider the fact that we might want a say in what’s put into OUR routine because we might not love everything they choose for us.

This is just one example of a ‘universal autism strategy’ that wouldn’t work for PDAers *but also* isn’t all that universal.”

Black text on a light green-to-aqua background, by Autball.

“And then there’s ABA.

If you’ve been in the Autistic community for any amount of time, you know that ABA is not seen as a good thing by pretty much anyone. Unavoidable or the lesser of two evils at times, sure, but not actually *good,* and certainly not free of harm.

So the implication that it’s fine for ‘regular Autistics’ but not for PDA is just not okay, let alone accurate. It may appear to be *effective* on some children, but that doesn’t mean it actually works *for them.*

Also, let’s not forget that internalizing PDAers whose primary stress response is to fawn do exist, and ABA could indeed appear to ‘work’ on them. The constant violations to their autonomy will be silently killing them on the inside, all while their fear response compels them to comply to survive. (This is how it ‘works’ on non-PDAers, too, BTW.)

So while externalizing PDAers will absolutely let you know when something doesn’t work for them with ‘worsening behaviors,’ they’re not the only ones who would resist, or should be shielded from, ABA.

Black text on an aqua-to-blue background, by Autball.

“I totally get why people say this. I do.

When some person in charge is insisting that ABA and other ‘traditional’ strategies are the only way to turn around your child’s behavior even though you KNOW they will be an absolute disaster, you will say just about anything to get them to back off.

You’re feeling beaten down, alone, and you just want to be understood already. And sometimes the only thing they’ll listen to is something that at least *sounds* like it still fits within their entrenched belief system. ‘Hey look, I’m to challenging your entire eXpErTiSe oN AuTiSm, just this one little part over here, see??’

So I get it. Sometimes it gets through when a full on ‘no thanks, I’m against ABA’ doesn’t. We have to be very, very careful with this, though, and at the very least not perpetuate it on social media or in other informal places where no “official” is holding access to proper accommodations and supports hostage.

But even better, push back against these harmful, one-size-fits-all strategies whenever and however you can, on behalf of ALL Autistic people, not just PDAers.”

Black text on a blue to purple background that reads:

Well, we don’t really know, because:

-People with Intellectual Disability (ID) and non-speakers aren’t always included in what little research there is about PDA.

-While official guidance on PDA acknowledges that someone with ID can also be PDA, there is little to no guidance on what that might look like.

-In two of the five “key features,” there is a heavy emphasis on the use of social strategies and appearing to have good social abilities, something that is not usually associated with non-speakers or ID (however wrong that may be).

-In one of the “key features,” there is much talk of things like good verbal ability, verbal fluency, early language delay with quick catch up, and being skilled communicators, none of which could apply to a non-speaker who does not yet have a robust form of alternative communication.

Black text on a blue to purple background that reads:

Online spaces aren’t much more help.

-There is very little discussion of PDA in non-speakers or people with ID in online support groups either, whether from parents or PDAers themselves. Discussions of communication struggles are usually around younger children or refusal to engage.

-There is widespread belief that PDAers are also “high masking” (even appearing in the official guidance), which isn’t how most people think of ID or non-speaking people (including clinicians).

-So much weight is given to the use of elaborate avoidance strategies and high verbal skills that there is a popular belief that PDA is associated with “giftedness.”

-Some have even said they don’t think PDA could co-occur with ID because “how could they even have a strong sense of autonomy or be socially engaging?”

White text on a blue to purple background that reads:

Which leads us to even more questions:

Are non-speakers and people with ID being left out of current PDA narratives?

Are people in these populations being denied proper identification and support as a result?

Is it possible that there are problems with the current PDA criteria themselves?

Black text on a blue gradient background reads:
Autistic masking does not necessarily mean “pretending to be allistic/neurotypical.”

Although you’d definitely be forgiven for thinking it does. Non-autistic researchers have been referring to it as “camouflaging” for years, framing it as an intentional choice to suppress autistic traits and replace them with allistic ones in order to “blend in.” Doing an internet search on the term will return several similar results.

But now, Autistic researchers are in the game, and their take is much more nuanced and comprehensive than that. (Funny how that happens, isn’t it?)

They’ve found that:
- It CAN be intentional but is often subconscious and involuntary
- It is a protective response to trauma and feeling unsafe
- It is often about suppressing more than just autistic traits
- It is about identity management and being able to predict how people will treat you, not just
“blending in”

(For more, see the works of Dr. Amy Pearson and Kieran Rose.)

Black text on a blue gradient background reads:
Autistic masking isn’t always about “fitting in.”

While it certainly can look like this:
(Illustration of a round, yellow, smiling mask that says, “Hey, I’m just like you! Just a regular ol’ allistic person doing definitely not autistic things!”).

It can also look like:
(Illustrated clown mask that says, “Look at me, the class clown/drama llama/life of the party!!”);
(Illustrated alien mask that says, “If you thought regular me was weird, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet”);
(Illustrated ninja mask that says, “Please just don’t even notice me”);
(Illustrated Hellraiser/Pinhead mask that says, “F@CK OFF.”)

Black text on a blue gradient background reads:
The misconception that masking = acting NT is causing harm, which is why it’s worth correcting.

Some people will lean into being “the bad kid” because they know that’s what people expect of them. Some people will even act “more autistic” because they know that’s what people expect of them. Others still will do things to attract attention in controllable, more “acceptable” ways to avoid attracting attention in unsafe, more stigmatizing ways. Not because they WANT to be that way, but because it lets them predict people’s responses better, which feels safer.

There are Autistic people who can’t “pass” for non-autistic no matter how hard they try. That doesn’t mean they’re not masking. They may actually be working hard to suppress A LOT, they just can’t do everything to neuronormative standards.

None of these people will be accused of “blending in,” yet they are still masking their hearts out. When we assume they are not, we miss all the harm that masking is causing them. But they are suppressing themselves and suffering the consequences of that just as much as any Autistic person whose mask successfully says, “Hey, I’m just like you!”

Black text on a red/pink background reads: What’s with all the arguing about autism being a disability? The Medical Model of Disability places the disability in the person.

A red figure labeled “SOCIETY” points accusingly at a light blue/blue figure, who is holding a big box labeled “IMPAIRMENT = DISABILITY” and looking defeated. SOCIETY says, “YOU’RE the one with the problem, and it’s on YOU to overcome it if you wanna be included in our one-size-fits-all society.”

Black text continues: But the Social Model of Disability makes a distinction between impairment and disability, placing the impairment in the person and the disability squarely on the shoulders of society.

The light blue/blue figure is now holding a smaller box labeled “IMPAIRMENT,” and throws another bus labeled “DISABILITY” at SOCIETY while saying angrily, “Sure, I may have this thing going on, but the REAL problem is YOUR shitty attitude towards people like me and YOUR unwillingness to change some stuff!”

Black text on a red/pink background reads: This is much better, but not everyone has gotten the message. A lot of people still think that impairment and disability mean the same thing, because the medical model is still dominant in so many places. So when we say:

A light blue/blue figure says, “Autism is a disability.”

Some people hear:

Light blue/blue figure says, “Autism is an impairment.”

Black text continues: And if they don’t personally feel impaired OR disabled by being Autistic (or if they see those things as bad things and don’t want to be associated with them, which is a whole ‘nother problem), they may object to that idea.

Black text on a red/pink background reads: Attempts to clarify things often run into the same problem. When we respond with:

A light blue/blue figure says, “Well autism IS a disability because of how society disables us.”

Some other people may hear:

Light blue/blue figure says, “Autism is only an impairment because of how society impairs us.”

Black text continues: And if they personally feel impaired by aspects of being Autistic that have nothing to do with how society treats them, they may feel completely erased by that idea.

Black text on a red/pink background reads: So what do we do? Well the first step is to realize how often we’re jus talking past each other (hence this post). Clarifying questions and better explanations can go further than just saying the same thing again, but louder.

Also, we need to not shy away from the idea that autism is an impairment as well as a disability. Some people try to swing away from stigma so hard that they only wanna talk about the positives or society’s role, but that leaves a lot of people out of the conversation.

Most importantly, we need to remember that there is an incredibly wide range of Autistic experience, and that’s it’s all valid. Some people feel impaired and/or disabled, some people don’t, and that’s okay. We just have to remember to make room for all of us.

Four figures in rainbow colors stand together. One says, “I’m impaired,” one says, “I’m disabled,” one says, “I’m both,” and one says, “I’m neither.”

© 2022-2024 by Autball

autball22@gmail.com

bottom of page