#Declarative Language

Have you ever used Declarative Language when speaking to someone who is PdA? It involved reframing how you say things, which is really difficult, into a statement rather than a command or instruction. #declarativelanguage #pda #autismawareness

There’s so much talk around declarative language when supporting PDAers - and sure it is a really useful tool but it is exactly that - A tool. . Fundamentally you need to believe that person has a need and a right for autonomy .. if that is missing, the tools will either not work or only in random contexts. So much of the work we do as therapists is in challenging our own beliefs and assumptions too. Let me know your thoughts 👀 #pda #declarativelanguage #autonomy #ableism

Retraining my brain with declarative language. 🤯 “Where’s your bag?” VS “I wonder where your bag is.. 💭” “Can you feed the dog” VS “The dog looks hungry” It’s so tricky to get your head around. X #declarativelanguage #declarativeprogramming #autism #autismawareness #toptips #pda #parentingpda #parentingpdachildren #fyp #save #autisticprofile

Are you raising a “demand avoidant” child who loves their screens? If so, try using declarative language to end screen time peacefully. Here’s a script you can use from the 𝘋𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘏𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 author Linda Murphy MS, CCC-SLP. Also learn about the “stop spot.” Isn’t that a great phrase (and can we delight in the fact that both words use the same letters)? Watch this Bright & Quirky Expert Tip at the link in bio. Want to learn more about Linda Murphy’s highly practical work with declarative language? Check out her multiple talks, specifically for parents of bright and quirky kids, in our IdeaLab parent learning community. #declarativelanguage #declarativelanguagehandbook #screentime #asd #adhd #twiceexceptionalkids #2e #brightandquirky #anxiety #learningdifferences #pda

Why should we try to avoid questions with our Gestalt Language Processors? WH questions (who, what…etc) are not appropriate for Gestalt Language Processors before Stage 4 of the Natural Language Acquisition Protocol. If a child is asked WH questions before Stage 4, they are put in a position of having their knowledge and understanding of the world challenged without the ability to respond in the way they may desire, or to the depth, they understand. Questions can result in prompt dependency as the child is always waiting for the adult to initiate with their line of questioning. Instead ensure you are using a child-led play approach and try using declarative language and lots of intonation! Comment, or narrate, on your child’s play…but at the same time allow for lots of silences! 🤫 #avoidquestions #declarativelanguage #silenceisgolden #childled #childledlearning #childledplay #thespeechden #gestaltlanguageprocessing #glpconference2024 #gestaltlanguageprocessors #gestalt #speechandlanguagetherapy #speechtherapy #speechandlanguagetherapist #speechtherapist #speechtherapyideas #speechtherapytips

This is a real-life example of how I use declarative language with a PDA child to avoid triggering a threat response. Instead of questions or instructions that remove autonomy, I switch to observations ike It’s not about control - it’s about safety trust, and keeping the nervous system regulated. Small language changes can make a huge difference. #pdaparenting #declarativelanguage #askellie #neurodivergentkids #AutismSupport

What you’re hearing here isn’t just play—it’s declarative language in action 🎢 Instead of asking constant questions, I’m modeling language in a way that this gestalt language processor can actually use. Declarative language is a powerful shift for caregivers and communication partners. It supports gestalt language processors in building the capacity to self-generate flexible, meaningful messages—the kind that reflect their real thoughts, ideas, and needs. Early on, gestalts aren’t flexible enough to easily modify grammar. That’s why modeling complete, usable phrases matters. It gives them language they can pick up and use as is—without needing to break it apart yet. And you can see that here 👇 He’s showing incredible flexibility with his gestalts, so I begin gently probing with simple opinion-based questions. But listen closely—he’s still figuring out how to formulate a response. So what does he do instead? He communicates by directing the action. It gives me so much information about what he means. If he had grabbed the button → I might model: “yes” If he pushed it away → I might model: “no, don’t want to” No pressure. No correction. Just language mapped onto his experience 💬 And here’s another powerful moment 👇 At the end, mom models a beautiful declarative strategy. When he says something she doesn’t fully understand, she doesn’t jump to “what did you say?” or “did you say…?” Instead, she repeats the part she did understand—and pauses. That small shift invites him to finish his own gestalt, supporting a natural communication repair without pressure. He stays in control of the message—and that’s where the learning happens. Throughout the video can hear him integrating previously modeled gestalts to guide what he wants to happen. This is how we support movement toward more flexible, self-generated language—by meeting them where they are and giving them language that fits 🧠 #gestaltlanguageprocessor #declarativelanguage #childledtherapy #autismcommunication #neuroaffirmingcare

Ambiguous communication can be difficult for those of us on the spectrum because it can leave us unsure of how to respond or what is required on our part. When communication is direct, leaving little to no room for guesswork, autistic people have the best chance at understanding. The example I use to illustrate this concept is very basic, but shows how there can still be uncertainty in phrases we use day to day. Eliminating this uncertainty can be especially helpful to autistic people who have difficulty with language. 💗🧠 . #autism #autismawareness #autismacceptance #autistic #neurodivergent #teacher #specialneeds #autismmom #communication #slp #appliedbehavioranalysis #occupationaltherapy #specialeducation

Comment poster and I'll show you where to get the PDA poster toolkit. There are more resources and content inside the inclusive classrooms. I hope you find this useful. Here are more examples: Imperative command: "Turn off the lights." Declarative language: "The lights are too bright. It would be nice to dim them." Imperative command: "Stop running in the hallway." Declarative language: "Running in the hallway can be dangerous. Let's walk instead." Imperative command: "Do your homework now." Declarative language: "Completing your homework before dinner helps you relax afterwards." Imperative command: "Quiet down!" Declarative language: "Let's lower our voices to respect others who are working." sentence starters can include: I wonder Maybe we could Shall we Looks like #schools #educationsystem #school #schoolsystem #pathologicaldemandavoidance #pdaprofile

How to lower demands in your home in 1 minute! 🚨 Lowering demands is one of 12 important accommodations for a PDA child. Autonomy Equality Lowered demands Signals of Nervous system safety Communication accommodations (including declarative language) Humor PDA friendly play (therapeutic equalizing!) Strewing Novelty, dopamine and sensory intense experiences Diffusion De-escalation Risk Mitigation Even though my older son is well out of burnout, I still lower demands like delivering food while he is on a couch because it allows him to access really important things: school, safety with his brother, eating, tackle football, and friendship. What about you? What demands do you lower? If you aren’t sure about all this, and want to know if your child might be PDA, comment “PDAQBeta” 👇and we will send you a free 6-minute survey.

Believe me, I GET IT!! I’ve been exactly where you are at. But we aren’t gonna do that anymore. Instead I am going to share with you how we are going to use declarative language and declarative statements correctly. They are so powerful when used right and the constant screaming and shouting battle with you trying to get them dressed, leave the house and go to the shops can completely change but you have to know how to use it correctly as it can go horrible wrong if you don’t. Imagine being able to get out the house easily! We struggled so much with his loss of autonomy of telling him he had to get dressed and also the time scale of pressure with it used to cause MASSIVE MELTDOWNS! Now we have pretty easy mornings getting ready and actually being able to leave the house on time to be able to do all those joyful mundane tasks we have to do as parents. Comment “TALK” and I’ll send you my Declarative Language 90 min workshop & scripts so you can get things going the right way and not have as much screaming & shouting every morning. #pdaautism #pathologicaldemandavoidance #pdaparenting #autism #autismawareness #adhd PS - make sure you are following me so I can send you the DM with the link 🫶🏼

Top tip for using more declarative and less demanding communication 👉less ‘you’ less demand more connection For more simple and effective ideas when your feeling tired, overwhelmed or need a reminder of why you do what you, checkout webinar this week on Facebook @Neurodivetraining or eventbrite page. #declarativelanguage #neurodivergentparenting #autistic #PDA #parentingtips #communicationtips