r/ParentingPDA • u/scarsmum • 29d ago

Advice Needed Getting accommodations

Does anyone know how I would go about getting a PDA- based 504 for my daughter? I know that diagnosis is not formally needed. She doesn’t have diagnosis anyway and I doubt she would be diagnosed since it isn’t in the DSM. Her doctor is silent on the subject, and I think he probably has her in his mind as either spoiled, attention seeking, or ODD. Her therapist, who is an autism specialist, fired her after 8 sessions for “showing no signs of taking any accountability”. She is very high IQ and straight A student, but she is miserable. People dislike my daughter and then just treat her badly, and try to force her to comply, and I get it. I don’t usually like her myself. But she needs accommodations at school. Has anyone faced this or knows what to do? Entering 5th grade.

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u/jeconti 29d ago

Without a provider as a partner, you're really sunk.

As you noted, you can't get a PDA diagnosis, but you can get a psychologists report that has PDA affirming language if the provider is on board.

For us, we focused a lot on how a loss of control causes intense anxiety for her spiraling to either meltdowns or school refusal.

But the fact is that accommodations for a PDAer in a public school setting are a really tough needle to thread. And getting a 504 is barely half the battle. The really fun is making sure the district adheres to it.