Product Description

As an educator and mother of a child with ADHD, I have gained a lot of medical information about this condition. Bryan s book however, helped me understand my daughter s disorder in a new, insightful way. I never considered her point of view before, with concern to ADHD, and how it must be affecting her. Bryan coming forward like this and bravely revealing his struggles with ADD has benefited me and my family beyond measure. Thank you, Bryan - Jennifer Williams, an ADHD mother with BA in Early Childhood Education.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #254025 in Books
• Published on: 2008-01-11
• Binding: Paperback
• 179 pages

About the Author
Bryan L. Hutchinson grew up with undiagnosed ADD. He is the creator and author of AdderWorld.com, a popular website dedicated to raising ADD ADHD awareness and assisting others with positive thinking and positive redirection. He lives with his wife, poet Joan Faith Hutchinson.

Customer Reviews

Valuable read
Not a fabulously well written book, but it provides invaluable insight into the heart and mind of a child/young man suffering from ADD. If I were president for a day I'd make it mandatory reading for all elementary teachers and parents of boys with or without ADD. The author clearly has extensive knowledge of ADD as well as first person experience -- a powerful combination that really helps the reader understand some of the many nuances of ADD. This book opened up very enlightening dialogue between my spouse and I and then my immediate family. We were able to confirm what we have long suspected; that in my family most of us have varying degrees of ADD but as adults have learned to compensate in interesting ways. We are productive and happy adults, but felt validated at the similarities we found with the author. Thank you so much for being so generous with your life experiences!

Every parent of a child with ADHD should read this book
Okay, I haven't finished reading this book, but I have a good excuse! (And I've read enough to know that I like it.)

Having already been a fan of Bryan Hutchinson's blog--where I've found some of the most honest reflections on late-to-diagnosis ADHD anywhere--I bought his book shortly after release, started reading it immediately, and then lost it.

You see, I brought it with me to an adult ADHD discussion group that I coordinate in my community, and then I misplaced it among all the materials that I lug to and from the meetings. I knew that attendees would welcome the validation that reading this book could bring, and I had to share it with them.

In particular, I thought of one thirty-something man whose grade-school teacher tried to point out to his parents that his intelligence didn't seem to match his test scores. (That's often one indication of ADHD.) But his mother told the teachers, "No, he's just lazy. That's all." He wasn't lazy. He had ADHD, as he discovered 20 years alter. ( And, looking back, he suspects his mother had ADHD, too.)

You hear enough of these stories, and it just breaks your heart. Maybe it even moves you to action--to advocate for better awareness not only with the public but with the mental-health profession. And to counter the nonsense that is circulated on the internet about the hoax of ADHD, blah blah blah. It also provides balance to the sometimes-disturbing trend of painting ADHD as a gift. We can use a lot of analogies--it's a gift with thorns, etc.--but don't ever underestimate the very real challenges that undiagnosed ADHD can pose to children or adults. That's being fair to no one.

For people with ADHD, it is so important to find sources of validation for life-long confusion and feelings of being misunderstood. And that's one of the most important benefits of Hutchinson's book. Not everyone can gather with other adults to share such stories. And even when they can, it's still nice to spend some time reflecting on the longer stories. The author's stories read more like journal entries or letters to a close friend instead of polished narrative, and that's part of its appeal. It feels authentic.

Parents of children with ADHD, you, too, will find this book helpful in trying to understand your child's point of view. Not understanding or even recognizing ADHD, many parents will assume they need to get tougher and "crack down' on the child. That doesn't just strain the relationship; it can also traumatize the child, leaving them gun-shy in personal relationships. Consider this passage:

"I wish I could have spent more quality time with my father, just him and me doing regular father and son activities together with no criticism and no work. He was usually so busy though. I remember having a genuine good time with just him and me one time in my life. One day I was playing in the backyard, my father came outside to see me. I was nervous about why he wanted to see me since I was afraid of him. He asked me if I would like to take a walk."

Hutchinson ended up having a surprisingly nice time playing softball with his father, but in his young mind, it could have easily gone the other way. Because it often did. And would again.

I would also recommend this book to the partners of adults with ADHD, in order to understand how late-to-diagnosis adults can easily form negative mindsets and skewed perceptions about the world--and you.

All in all, "One Boy's Struggle" is a very important addition to the Adult ADHD library.

Amazing and inspiring book that's a must read!
Bryan Hutchinson's book, "One Boy's Struggle: A Memoir: Surviving Life with Undiagnosed ADD" was an extremely touching, thought provoking and informative book that's not only easy to read, but easy to relate to. Nearly everyone has been touched by someone with ADD / ADHD some time in their lives and this book helps not only the person that struggles with the symptoms of ADD / ADHD, but also family, friends, co-workers, etc. of someone with ADD / ADHD (my youngest son was diagnosed with ADHD at 5). The book made me laugh one minute and cry the next. As a copyeditor and proofreader, I have the opportunity to read many books but this one really touched me deep inside. I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone and everyone!