Product Description

A treasured parent resource since its publication, Taking Charge of ADHD has now been revised and updated to incorporate the most current information on ADHD and its treatment. From internationally renowned ADHD expert Russell A. Barkley, the book empowers parents by arming them with the up-to-date knowledge, expert guidance, and confidence they need to ensure that their child receives the best care possible. Features of the revised edition include:

*A step-by-step plan for behavior management that has helped thousands of children with ADHD
*Hard data that clear up current controversies about increased diagnosis and stimulant use
*New strategies that give children greater chances of success at school and in social situations
*Advances in genetic and neurological research that enhance our understanding of what causes ADHD
*Practical advice for parents on managing stress and keeping peace in the family
*Updated descriptions of books, organizations, and Internet resources that families can trust

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #10152 in Books
• Published on: 2000-09-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 321 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781572305601
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Scientific American
Although the book is targeted at the parents of ADHD children, it will serve as a useful resource for teachers and others involved in the care and education of these children....This book is unique in its up-to-date and clear presentation of the scientific underpinnings of the disorder and the pragmatic, empirically based approach to intervention that it encourages. It is also very well organized and readable; it is probably the best available resource of this type.

From The New Yorker
Dr. Barkley, a master in the field, has written a superb book for parents and all others interested in ADHD. Full of the most up-to-date information, this book is clearly written and finely reasoned. Thank you, Russell Barkley, for this book and all your pioneering work.

Review
"The book is easy to read and, in spite of its length at 320 pages, is well apportioned in its content and practical in its advice. Rich in anecdote and warm in understanding of the human experience of ADHD, this book should be a must for most parents....Dr. Barkley has produced a book that will be added to the list of practical, reasoned, well thought out and helpful resources for parents who are looking for it all in one place."--The Canadian Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Review

"Of the many recent books available on this topic, this one seems the most comprehensive, up-to-date, authoritative, and readable. Although aimed at parents, it would be an excellent addition to the libraries of teachers, psychologists, pediatricians, and family physicians--anyone who works with children with ADHD."--Nursing Administration Quarterly

"Accessible, scientifically based....As a starting point for parents, or for smaller libraries that can only afford one title, Barkley's book is the first choice; it offers details about finding the right kind of specialists, putting together a disciplinary program, coping with adolescents, and building positive relationships with school personnel."--Library Journal

"I...warmly recommend it to selected parents, and also to professionals learning about how ADHD should be managed."--Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry

"...an excellent resource for parents, clinicians, and teachers....The text is written in an informative yet informal style, which almost gives readers the impression that they are having a personal conversation with the author....The true value of the book lies in the author's ability to combine current theoretical perspectives with the most recent and relevant research findings into a text that functions both as a contemporary review for professionals and a practical guide for parents."--Child Psychology, Psychiatry

"Barkley is addressing two quite different audiences--parents and professionals--and he does it very well. Parents can return to the book as they reach different points on their learning curve. And practitioners will find this book stimulating and at times challenging....The book could well serve as the text for a series of parent education sessions led by a school psychologist."--NASP Communique

" Russell Barkley, considered one of the leading authorities on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), provides a clear and well-written guide that encourages, exhorts, and inspires parents. This book features pioneering research that provides new insight into preventing ADHD from becoming a major obstacle in a child's (and parent's) life. Numerous techniques are offered for enhancing a child's school performance. ...Provides an excellent foundation for parent training and teacher inservice presentations. Parents will appreciate having this book on hand, and teachers will want a copy to show parents who are ready for a resource."--Intervention in School and Clinic

"The majority of the book deals with the areas where parents do have the opportunity to make choices and have and impact on their children's functioning....This material is specific, practical, widely applicable, and supported by both clinical and research experience. From the pediatric therapist's perspective, this book has a great deal to offer....an outstanding achievement. Its authoritative and complete contents, combined with a very reasonable price for the trade paperback, make it a highly worthwhile addition to the library of any child-oriented professional." --Physical and Occupational Therapy In Pediatrics

"...a very readable and yet comprehensive volume that actually does provide an overview of this important subject in language readily understood by a parent or older teenage patient...it addresses the common questions and concerns of puzzled parents. It presents its information in a generally positive and supportive style which parents will appreciate... Its overall theme is positive and hopeful and will be welcomed by many families." --Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

"A solid resource guide for parents...." --Contemporary Psychology

"An excellent and readable book that will empower parents of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)....Barkley provides a program for managing the behavior of a child with ADHD and a system for problem-solving." --NAMI Advocate

"It is refreshing to find a text grounded in empirical support and data to assist parents who have such a child....A superb text for parents and others who live daily with children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder...." --Corrective and Social Psychiatry and Journal of Behavior Technology Methods and Therapy

"'Oh no, not another ADHD book' was my initial reaction to reviewing Taking Charge of ADHD...I was wrong. This is not just another book. This is a great book...You must read this book if you don't read any other this year...This book, although aimed at parents, has something for everyone involved with ADHD kids: teachers, psychologists, doctors, and family. I am not going to lend this book to parents (although I will show it to them) because they need to buy it so they have it on hand to read and reread."--Pediatric News

"Although the book is targeted at the parents of ADHD children, it will serve as a useful resource for teachers and others involved in the care and education of these children....This book is unique in its up-to-date and clear presentation of the scientific underpinnings of the disorder and the pragmatic, empirically based approach to intervention that it encourages. It is also very well organized and readable; it is probably the best available resource of this type."--Doody's Health Sciences Book Review

"While many parents will find the information included invaluable in helping them to make decisions about the care of their children, practitioners will also find the book extremely useful as an up-to-date summary of ADHD research....This book should head the list of recommended readings for parents and others interested in ADHD."--The Advancing Practice

"I certainly plan to recommend this book to parents and grandparents of children with ADHD whom I see in my practice. The book is generally easy to read... The book has a tone of optimism throughout. It empowers parents to take charge of the life of their child with ADHD rather than feel constantly distressed and overwhelmed by the special needs of these unique children." --Canadian Medical Association Journal

"The text is well written and readable. Although it provides research information, the text does not become bogged down with statistics. Technical language is kept to a minimum, and when it is used, it is explained. The book does a commendable job of providing parents with the latest information and practical guidance regarding ADHD." --Physical Therapy
-- Review

Customer Reviews

Very thorough, but leans on the pathological.
This is an incredibly thorough and educational book. Barkeley is a pioneer in research on ADHD and a genuine authority. But he leans too much on the pathological/medical view of ADHD, and by the end of the book, I was exhausted just thinking about the road ahead of me in raising two boys with ADHD. Fortunately, I read the review here suggesting other books (like Driven to Distraction and the Thom Hartman books), and I expanded my reading education about ADHD considerably by reading those books, too. However, I do recommend starting with Barkeley - to get facts and ideas about management of ADHD, especially if you have young children. But take his suggestions with a grain of salt, too - my gut tells me that asking my child's teacher to implement an elaborate "chips and points" type program at school is not really the way I want to go. Also, Barkeley is a little dry and if you are an adult with ADD, you might put this one down before you finish. Nonetheless, it is a well researched and thoughtfully presented book, and I recommend it highly, so long as you read other books about ADHD/ADD, too.

Useful, thought provoking, but utterly cold and empathy-free
I came to this book as a skeptic, and as someone who wants nothing to do with the meds. I had avoided reading Barkley because I knew him to be a big drug guy.

However, I found his explanation of ADHD as a problem of inhibition rather than attention to be interesting and to ring true. He also talks about how this relates to troubles with language, motor skills, learning problems and other things that are seen with some ADHD kids. It shed some light on the larger picture, and was very interesting and useful in thinking about the whole child, not just the ADHD behavior part. It was more in-depth than other explanations I had read of ADHD, and more convincing.

As for the drugs, he really does not emphasize them as much as I expected. Clearly, he believes they are effective and safe, but at one point he actually says that if you are just anti-drug don't bother trying them because you won't stick with it. Like other pro-drug things I have read, he does not really address the issue of how or when you decide to get off the drugs. I guess the drug companies aren't funding studies of that question.

One funny point -- in a section advising parents to take care of themselves, he cautions them to avoid caffeine and nicotine because they are stimulants and can make your heart race and increase your blood pressure. Not good for parents, but apparently OK for the kids.

The book actually spends a lot more time on behavior modification techniques than it does on the drugs. Ironically, many of these techniques are similar to those recommended by David Stein in his book Unraveling the ADD/ADHD Fiasco, which is as anti-diagnosis and drugs as Barkley's is pro. I have found many of these techniques to be useful, although I think the tokens and points thing is unwieldy and unrealistic.

The biggest negative of this book is the author's tone, which is offensive in several ways. First, he is paternalistic, frequently lecturing the reader to be critical of sources, etc, yet giving the impression that one should accept his information as scientific and accurate because he says it is.

Second, he gives a seemingly endless litany of ways in which these children will struggle and fail -- learning, friendship, behavior, work, etc. It was so depressing I had to put the book down for awhile. His one positive comment is that some ADHD kids may do well in the arts or in sales, but he is careful to qualify that remark by noting that they won't be better than "normal" kids, they just might be as good as "normal" kids in these areas.

Third, and most striking, is his complete lack of empathy for his patients. Once in awhile he seems to express at least some sympathy for the parents and their struggle, but I cannot think of any examples in which he puts himself in the ADHD kid's place and dicusses how it might feel to be on the receiving end of these problems, meds and other treatments. The child is viewed as the problem to be solved. He makes very clear that there are ADHD kids, and there are normal kids, and the two groups do not overlap. He sees these kids as very disabled and in need of sheltering from the normal demands of life. I'm sure that some days this is true, but it is a very pessimistic and condescending view in the long run, one that does nothing to prepare a person to live in the real world as an adult. He does not ever discuss the potential psychological consequences to the child of being treated by parents, teachers and doctors as so disabled and incapable of ever performing "normally." Treating your child as being as disabled as Barkley says may be a self-fulfilling prophecy. He could use to read a copy of Martin Seligman's book Learned Optimism.

Despite the negatives, I recommend this book. It has a practical focus, but still provides a detailed and interesting discussion of ADHD symptoms, behavior, etc. It favors the meds, but it does not beat you over the head with it or dismiss other approaches. In fact, it says that meds must be used in conjunction with other treatments.

Finally, Barkley seems to be a big cheese in the ADHD field, and even if you don't agree with him, it is useful to know what the mainstream point of view is. You may be surprised, as I was, to find more of value here than you expected.

A "textbook" on coping with ADHD at home
As the parent of an ADHD child, I have read many books on this disorder. This one contains many practical tips that you can use, but also sets down some large guiding principals. I like the fact that Dr. Barkley challenges us to become "executive parents", ones that take charge of our child’s professional and educational care, something I feel we all need to keep in mind. He arms us with facts to dispel the myths that abound about ADHD, integrating the latest scientific findings with anecdotes from his years of working with ADHD patients and their families.

There are several chapters that offer programs that you can implement starting today to help your child control and replace undesirable behavior with appropriate, positive behavior. There are two chapters that give you answers to questions like, “I know he(she) has ADHD, but how can I get him (her) to (finish his homework, do the dishes, pick up dirty clothes, get up in the morning, stop pushing other kids, pu t on socks in less than 22 minutes)... just fill in the blank. His suggestions take commitment and consistent effort from us as parents before we see results from our child, but they do work. Some steps may bring better results than others in your child. But if you gain some sanity and peace in your house and family again, isn’t it worth the effort? I think the biggest challenge will be for those parents with ADHD themselves to make a consistent effort, an issue that Dr. Barkley does not address.

He does, however, r emind us to keep it all in perspective. He suggests that we focus on what is really important in our lives each day. Is getting to soccer practice on time more important than arriving there prepared and leaving home in a peaceful and loving attitude? H e challenges us to step outside our need to get our child to behave in certain ways, and to first understand the challenges that s/he faces every minute of the day. Then we can work together to build on the child’s strengths and differences in a positive way.

There were times when I felt overwhelmed by the programs I needed to implement just to help my child get through the week successfully. And I do wish that he would incorporate a most positive "slant" on the ADHD traits into his books to give us mor e hope (but I just pull out one of Thom Hartmann's books when I need that). Dr. Barkley's books are ones that you need to keep on your shelf if you have a child with ADHD so that you can refer to a new suggestion when a "tried and true" solution is no lon ger effective. This is one I recommend to all the parents I know with ADHD children under the age of 12.