Jul 9, 2026 · 36 min · 11 segments
In this episode we're chatting to Faith Newton, highly specialist children's occupational therapist and parent of two PDA children, about how to approach OT assessments with PDA children - whether…
Faith NewtonGuestRachelHostSarahHostJust sort of setting the scene, I suppose, really, if we think about OT assessments, why might they be difficult for somebody, for a child with pathological demand avoidance?
And I think back to both my own children going for an assessment and a sense of trepidation you have as a parent.
You know, especially if you have to go to a clinic setting, you've got to get dressed, you've got to get out of the house.
You've got to get on some form of transport before that you've got to transition from the activity they were doing.
ask you strange questions and make
Like just from my experience, there's a huge amount of demands if we're not really careful and it can leave if you actually get there, which isn't a given.
and you kind of all get through it in one piece, just the recovery time afterwards can be quite intense for the whole family.
And I've certainly had my fair share of McDonald's afterwards, you know, Roblox credits, ice creams, kind of whatever we needed to get through it.
So kind of when I moved to independent practice, I was really keen to offer like a different way of doing assessments that would just be a much more positive experience for families.
If I've waited over waiting months for an appointment or I've spent a lot of money and I have one chance and if my kid can't do it and I can't do it, it's all wasted.
And I guess in this episode, we're going to be thinking about how can we reduce some of those demands just to make it a much more positive, useful experience for everybody really.
yeah definitely I mean everything as you were talking then I was thinking yes I felt like that yes my child has done that and certainly that that whole focus on this is the appointment I've got to make it work this is my moment I've waited months to get this appointment and then the child's not engaging and you're like oh not there and it's like honestly they do do this and they do and they do that but you can't get it
Just sort of setting the scene, I suppose, really, if we think about OT assessments, why might they be difficult for somebody, for a child with pathological demand avoidance?
And I think back to both my own children going for an assessment and a sense of trepidation you have as a parent.
You know, especially if you have to go to a clinic setting, you've got to get dressed, you've got to get out of the house.
You've got to get on some form of transport before that you've got to transition from the activity they were doing.
ask you strange questions and make
Like just from my experience, there's a huge amount of demands if we're not really careful and it can leave if you actually get there, which isn't a given.
and you kind of all get through it in one piece, just the recovery time afterwards can be quite intense for the whole family.
And I've certainly had my fair share of McDonald's afterwards, you know, Roblox credits, ice creams, kind of whatever we needed to get through it.
So kind of when I moved to independent practice, I was really keen to offer like a different way of doing assessments that would just be a much more positive experience for families.
If I've waited over waiting months for an appointment or I've spent a lot of money and I have one chance and if my kid can't do it and I can't do it, it's all wasted.
And I guess in this episode, we're going to be thinking about how can we reduce some of those demands just to make it a much more positive, useful experience for everybody really.
yeah definitely I mean everything as you were talking then I was thinking yes I felt like that yes my child has done that and certainly that that whole focus on this is the appointment I've got to make it work this is my moment I've waited months to get this appointment and then the child's not engaging and you're like oh not there and it's like honestly they do do this and they do and they do that but you can't get it
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