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Attuned Spectrum | Support For Parents Raising PDA & Autistic Children
What if parenting your Autistic or PDA child didn’t feel so overwhelming — and you finally had support that honours your family?
I’m Chantal Hewitt — a PDA autistic, ADHD mother of three, including a PDA autistic son; an experienced educator with more than a decade in early childhood education and development; and a Family Autism & PDA Support Coach for parents who feel overwhelmed, burnt out, or quietly isolated as they try to make sense of their child’s needs.
I created Attuned Spectrum for families navigating intense emotions, explosive behaviour, sensory differences, anxiety-driven demand avoidance, burnout, shutdowns, masking, or a child who feels “different” but doesn’t fit traditional descriptions of Autism. Many parents who find this podcast don’t yet know whether their child is PDA — they just know the usual advice hasn’t worked. If that’s you, you’re in exactly the right place.
This isn’t a behaviour podcast.
It’s a connection-first, nervous-system-first, neurodiversity-affirming space for parents raising children with persistent drives for autonomy, big emotional worlds, misunderstood sensory needs, and nervous systems overwhelmed by a world that wasn’t built for them.
In each episode, I gently guide you through:
• what Autistic and PDA behaviours really communicate
• how to reduce demand anxiety and daily power struggles
• how to support your child through meltdowns and shutdowns
• how to co-regulate when you feel overstimulated yourself
• how to advocate at school when no one else understands
• how to recognise Autistic and PDA burnout in children
• how to create a calmer, safer, more attuned home
Whether your child is diagnosed, suspected, or you’re simply trying to understand explosive behaviour or daily overwhelm, this podcast will help you make sense of your child’s inner world and support them in ways that truly work.
You deserve guidance that fits your child, compassion for your own nervous system, and a community that understands the unique challenges of raising Autistic and PDA children.
You’re not alone anymore.
Let’s walk this together — one attuned moment at a time.
Attuned Spectrum | Support For Parents Raising PDA & Autistic Children
5 Signs of Autistic Burnout in Children (and How to Support Recovery)
Has your child suddenly lost skills, withdrawn, or become overwhelmed by things they used to handle easily? These may be early signs of autistic burnout — a real, often-misunderstood experience for Autistic and PDA children.
In this episode, I break down what autistic burnout actually is, why it’s frequently mistaken for behavioural regression, and how you can support your child through recovery without adding more pressure to their already overloaded nervous system.
You’ll learn the core signs to watch for, what burnout feels like from the inside, and the connection-first steps that help your child return to safety, capacity, and emotional stability.
✨ In this episode:
• The 5 key signs of autistic burnout in children
• Why burnout is often mislabelled as “behaviour”
• How overwhelm, masking & chronic stress lead to shutdown
• What your child needs to recover (and what to avoid)
• How to create calm, low-demand support at home that truly helps
If your child feels “different” lately or you’re sensing something deeper than behaviour, this episode will help you understand burnout with clarity and compassion — and take the first steps toward gentle, effective support.
If you’re parenting an Autistic or PDA child and want support that actually works, you’ll find more tools and free resources at chantalhewitt.com.
✨ Join my community for parents raising PDA Autistic children (Currently For Founding Members!)
LEARN MORE →
✨ Download my free guides
Early Signs Guide → CLICK HERE
Calm Parent Checklist → CLICK HERE
PDA Parenting Guide → CLICK HERE
✨ Connect with me on Instagram, TikTok & YouTube @chantal.hewitt
Reach out if you need anything- Say hello, share your story :) → hello@chantalhewitt.com
Chantal x