SLP 360: Why "Won't" Is Actually "Can't": Rethinking Executive Functioning in Neurodivergent Students

Sue Larkey Podcast - Autism (ASD), ADHD, ODD and PDA education · Sep 21, 2026 · 35m

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✅ Origins: Dean began autism advocacy work in 2004 as a teenager.

✅ Executive Function: Brain's "admin team" handles planning and emotional regulation.

✅ Autistic Inertia: Difficulty shifting from stopped to started, or vice versa.

✅ Object Permanence: Hidden items feel forgotten, causing hidden anxiety.

✅ Reframing: Struggles are "can't do," not laziness or avoidance.

✅ Sensory Load: Autistic brains process significantly more information at rest.

✅ Environment…