Taking Charge of ADHD, Third Edition: The Complete, Authoritative Guide for Parents

I'm writing this review because when I bought this book, the first reviews showing on my Amazon page were quite negative, and that troubled me because this book has been a game changer and a lifeline for me and my seriously ADHD teenage daughter, in a way that no other single book has been. That's mostly because, unlike other books I've read, Barkley addresses directly and proposes clear, practical, simple remedies for dealing with the incessant and destructive parent/child behavioral conflicts that have often dominated our life at home -- and that other recommendations had done very little to improve. This book deals head on with that "elephant in the room", something that was so obviously "wrong" in our lives, but that I couldn't understand because I'd done all the "right" things, including medication, behavioral therapy, academic support and trying to be a loving, understanding and firm parent. Anyone who's been there will understand, and this is the one book that really helped. Also, in defense of Barkley's serious and informed writing style, this is, of course, very serious material. For something as profound as a young person's mental health and future, it's important to know the scientific bases for the author's analysis and recommendations. Yes, there are more conversationally written books out there on this subject, which may be an easier read for some, but there's nothing abstruse or hard to read about this one, and its author imparts a lifetime's clinical and academic experience. There are many observations and surprising insights throughout the text (for example, research shows that non-intrusive background music can help ADHD kids focus on an academic task whereas complete silence or overly stimulating music is less likely to help). This book has a program for behavioral intervention at home that can be modified for a teenager, and gives simple, clear guidance on the difficult issue of how much and in what way it may be necessary to involve yourself with your teenager's school, while at the same time allowing the teen the self determination that's critical to her growth at this age. It's more densely written than some, and that's as one would expect from a worldwide leader in the field of ADHD research. I've found other books helpful on the interface of parent and ADHD teen (e.g. "Ready for Takeoff" (Maitland & Quinn), and my daughter has "The ADHD workbook for teens" (Lara Honos-Webb) which has helped her to voice her frustrations and fears, and to accept and take charge. However, I haven't yet seen any book as comprehensive and as helpful as this, and I'd urge any parent with a serious situation to read it.

This is the single most helpful book on ADHD I have read thus far. It contains a lot of up to date information about the disorder that you can either read or skim. I am a mental health professional and learned a lot from the newer information in this book that has helped me with my clients and my own son. The most important thing for people to understand about ADHD is that it is a disability of the executive functioning of the brain (and everything that entails). The book explains exactly what that means and gives helpful examples to illustrate the points. It talks about research and explains what the findings mean in layman's terms. It validates parents' struggles and encourages them to stand up for their child who has an actual disability. It explains why kids with ADHD often act out and get into trouble, why this affects their self-esteem and why they are so easily frustrated. All those things you've been struggling with your child are likely related to his/her ADHD. It even goes into discipline, how to work with your school, with your family members, and how to take care of yourself in the process. Everyone you interacts with people with ADHD need this resource.

If your child has ADHD, you need to read this book! It is big and sort of "text bookish", but it has information I didn't know and we've been dealing with our 14 year old daughter for 8 years without this workable knowledge. Magic 1-2-3 helped when she was young, and a couple other books helped with ADHD, but this book identifies the scientific discoveries of ADHD and explains them. It is also empathetic to all those parents dealing with non-ADHD kids who "think" they have the answer to how to handle the child.Here is what you do: Read 20 minutes in the book every day... Every day... before you know it, you have completed the book. You receive a consistent flow of information and I suggest highlighting all the key information points that will help. It is helping us help our daughter be successful in life.

Barkley is great and information quite valuable. His recommendations and advice are valuable. Far too many have preconceived notions relative to ADHD, which severely limits the help those affected need. What was missed were all of those sensory issues ADHD/ADD people have due to the condition. I also noticed that there was no mention of an iron deficiency, which all those in my family with ADHD/ADD have showing up on blood tests without medication.My husband and daughter both chose not to medicate until our granddaughter was diagnosed. When my daughter wanted to medicate her child I told her until her father and she sought the same treatment, I was opposed to medicating a child. Needless to say, the homeopathics helped for a time, the diet restrictions and sensory processing disorder treatment helped for a time but as they witnessed the rejection of peers, strained learning, and negative consequences in my granddaughter they experienced in their own lives, their views changed.Today, my husband, daughter and granddaughter are in CBT, see a psychiatrist, and take medication. Their lives moved from a roller coaster ride to a life more related to a camera where they take the shot, reframe it, and move forward but that would not have happened without the medication component. .

Perhaps one of the BEST books I have read about ADHD! As parent of child with ADHD, this book has been invaluable and has provided me with much more information than I could have ever imagined to getting out of a book. At some points, it may be a bit difficult to read, but the author makes sure to reference previous points, if related, and he also lists a number of other resources throughout the book (and towards the back of the book)! I highly recommend this book to any frustrated ADHD parent, and others who simply want to know more about it!

Este material es necesario para psicoterapeutas, padres y maestros para estar bien informados sobre el déficit de atención. Un material donde aprenderás sobre como comprender y convertirte en una verdadera red de apoyo.

First I wish to note that my son who is ADHD, and is using Ritalin, is creative and fully functional with excitement all around him. He has bright impossible ideas and has all the positives an ADHD can have. Except that lots of the negative spontaneous comments and actions have minimized. It makes it much easier for me as a parent to teach him behavioral and life skills because he is calmer and easier to communicate with.Some reviews dislike the book because it supports medication in addition to behavioral skills. The exercises that these reviews mention may work theoretically, but you would need lots of time and resources on the part of the parent and lots of cooperation on part of the child, besides all the parenting skills that need to be taught with much more patients than with non-ADHD children. For working parents this may be operation impossible. After all said and done, even for parents that have all the time in the world, the child will be busy either with school or with exercise, and almost nothing else.I've checked the reviews on Amazon.com. Someone posted a very positive and informative review back in January, and the that review already has 110 Helpful hits.

When I knew that my daughter has been diagnosed with ADHD, I haven't any idea or trusted information about it, this book is not just a source of information but moreover, gives you the sensation that it was written just for you. The writer describes everything even your emotions, hard times, and challenges which changes from one to the other. I really recommend this book to everyone who has a child with ADHD.

As a parent new to the diagnosis of ADHD I have found this book exceptionally valuable in understanding ADHD. I would recommend any book written by R Berkeley including his You Tube videos about the condition of ADHD, parenting ADHD and how to be the executive parent for your child with this diagnosis. Already his books and videos have informed me well enough to deal with school, medical appointments and general life experiences with a knowledgeable and informed grasp of ADHD. Thank you Dr R Berkeley.

L'ouvrage grand public le plus complet à ma connaissance sur le TDA/H. J'ai eu l'occasion d'en lire quelques uns, en français mais aussi celui du Dr Green (recommandé également) : celui-ci sort du lot par son approche complète.Ceux qui, encore nombreux en France chez les professionnels de l'enfance, ne croient que dans l'approche psychanalytique des troubles du développement y verront certainement l'oeuvre d'un obscur charlatan.Ceux qui sont ouverts à une actualisation des approches freudiennes trouveront de précieux éclairages : le Dr Barkley fait un point précis sur ce trouble, et va surtout plus loin et de façon plus concrète dans la mise en oeuvre de dispositifs pratiques.Il fait référence chez un nombre croissant de professionnels, associations et au sein de CHU, ce qui n'a rien d'étonnant.Une lecture chaudement recommandée aux parents (et aux professionnels curieux), y compris à ceux qui déjà performants dans la gestion de leur(s) petit(s) TDA/H.