Youth at Risk Hawaii

02/07/2026

Truth

08/13/2023

Alohi Post

They are definitely her's. 😂😂😂

05/21/2023

😂😂😂

01/07/2023

09/05/2022

Why simple daily activity can be so difficult

Many individuals with ASD and PDA have weaknesses in the area of the brain (prefrontal cortex) responsible for the executive functions of attention, concentration, setting goals, appraising, planning, organizing, initiating, monitoring, and sustaining attention on task until completion. When these skills are adequate, we move through daily activities with relative ease. When one or more of these functions are weak, the person usually has problems initiating and completing daily activities.

Even though the person can be very bright and appear competent to complete what is expected, these skills are a hidden disability that results in others, and the person, questioning their motives, seen as lazy, resistant, and oppositional. With PDA, we often see anxiety as driving the child's avoidance, but these weak executive functioning skills often underlie some of these challenges. We need to be aware of these ten steps and how taxing and exhausting it can be for those who struggle with initiating and completing activities.
If you click on the slide below it will give an example of what these ten steps look like for a simple activity like dressing.

12/03/2017

This is why I started YRH. Kaikea needed to be "exercised ". All kids do

10/08/2017

Did you ever expect to read anything like this? Me, neither.