ADHD--Living Without Brakes
Language: English
Pages: 189
ISBN: 1849058164
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
This concise and highly accessible book contains everything that parents and busy professionals need to know about ADHD. The author describes the spectrum of ADHD, the co-occurring symptoms, and common difficulties that parents face. The rest of the book focuses on solutions, based around four rules. Rule number one is keeping it positive: punishments can change behavior, but only positive approaches can improve attitude. Rule number two is keeping it calm: it's difficult thinking clearly enough to solve problems logically if you are feeling overwhelmed. Rule number three is keeping it organized: this rule relates particularly to the child's school life. Rule number four is to keep doing rules one to three. Finally, Dr. Kutscher discusses the role of medication for treating ADHD. The concluding chapter summarizes the information covered and can also be read as a complete, freestanding text. Useful checklists and further reading recommendations are also included. Realistic and optimistic, this book is the ideal source of information and advice for parents and professionals who are trying to keep up with children who are living without brakes.
go away?” Personally, I would rephrase the question as, “Will it be okay?” The answer can be “yes,” but we must recognize that this is often the “50-year plan.” In other words, these children can be wonderfully successful adults, while they continue to work on these issues over their lifetime. Meanwhile, we “just” need to patiently steer them in the right direction by keeping it positive, keeping it calm, keeping it organized; and, possibly, adding medication. That is what the rest of this book
called “problem solving.” Chapter 3 contains details for you and your parents to work on this technique. Í Realize that your parents and teachers are usually good at preparing for the future. In the bicycle story above, your parents can be thought of as standing on the sidewalk, watching you speed downhill. Since they are not overwhelmed by the bike ride, they have no trouble looking ahead to see the truck coming. They’re screaming, “Watch out for the truck!” or, “Watch out for that cliff,” or,
spectrum that was just discussed. Otherwise, parents will think that they have a child with ADHD who just also happens to be difficult and/or appear mean spirited. Now, the good news: There are truly effective (albeit not instantaneous) ways to improve the lives of the ADHD child and her caregivers. These non-medical approaches can be simplified to four basic principles: 1. Keep it positive. 2. Keep it calm. 3. Keep it organized. 4. Keep it going. SUMMARY / 151 Rule #1: Keep it positive Keep
likely still be a problem. o Poor frustration tolerance. (“Johnny, why can’t you even let me help you get over this?”) THE ADHD ICEBERG / 29 o Frequently overwhelmed and angry. (“Mommy, just stop. I can’t stand it. Just stop. Please!”) o “Hyper-responsiveness.” (“Mommy, you know I hate sprinkles on my doughnuts! You never do anything for me! I hate you!”) Barkley (2000) uses the term hyper-responsiveness to indicate that people with ADHD have excessive (uninhibited) emotions. Their
antisocial personality disorder have a pervasive pattern of severe violation of the rights of others, typically severe enough to merit arrest. Table 2 ADHD vs. oppositional defiant disorder ADHD Oppositional defiant disorder Poor compliance comes from being overwhelmed. Poor compliance comes from unwillingness to conform. Annoys others when overwhelmed. Annoys others deliberately. Remorseful for problem behaviors. Gets a “kick” or a thrill out of watching others squirm. Not spiteful.