Customer Reviews

The Survival Guide for Kids with ADD or ADHD

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The Survival Guide for Kids With ADD or ADHD is very practical and user friendly. There are eight well defined chapters, beginning with "What is ADHD?" and ending with "Eight Ways to Deal with Strong Feelings". A glossary helps with clinical vocabulary, and there are many reproducible pages that can be useful in tracking progress and understanding which traits are most troublesome for the reader.

John F. Taylor, the author, presents attention issues to the reader as a challenge, but not as an insurmountable obstacle or an excuse for bad behavior or poor academic performance. Taylor is a PhD and founder of ADD Plus, an organization dedicated to helping individuals and families affected by ADD or ADHD. He is the father of three ADD kids.

Taylor spells it out for kids who may get a lot of negative messages. "...Having ADHD doesn't mean you are stupid, lazy, crazy, bad, or ill. It means that there are some differences in the way your brain works that make you show some ADHD traits." Chapter end quizzes reinforce each section in a lighthearted manner. At the end of chapter one, for instance:

"Sam has ADHD and thinks that reading books is boring. What can Sam learn from reading this book?"

A. How to speak with aliens from a planet named Zatar
B. Where to find a stash of buried treasure
C.Ways to deal with ADHD at school, at home, and with friends

There are many effective coping skills that kids can learn that may offset the need for medication or enhance pharmaceutical treatment. The KITE decision making plan is one such tool. K is for knowing the situation, I for identifying choices, T for try the best plan, and E is for evaluation of how things went. KITE and other strategies are discussed in detail, so kids can work on making positive changes.

I particularly appreciate the information on the importance of diet. Chapter four is entirely about diet and how it can affect mood and behavior. Many children with ADD seem to be very sensitive to food dyes and preservatives which can exacerbate attention problems. Just drinking more water may help with concentration, and the author suggests that even a few small changes may be beneficial.

I find this a very wise and accessible book for kids 6-12. There are tips for staying organized, getting to sleep, and getting along with others. Links for ADD related web sites are provided as well. I'm very pleased to recommend this book, brought to us by the very astute and child friendly people at Free Spirit Publishing.

I am a therapist involved with identifying kids with learning problems and assisting them and their families in dealing with their special needs. This little book has proved very useful in helping parents work with their child in acquiring skills to deal with teachers, other students and members of their own families. It frames AD/HD in a more positive light and offers practical strategies for answering questions that others ask and help the child themselves understand that the diagnosis of AD/HD is not "the end of the world!" It is more geared towards elementary age and uses artwork and reading level that appeals to this age group. The reasonable cost and small format makes distributing this book to all my clients possible.

My son with ADHD loves this book. It lists things that only fellow kids with ADHD could understand and really makes them feel "normal" and okay. Gives tons of suggestions for helping themselves out on tasks they struggle with.

I have an interest in all information and ways of informing people about ADHD and The Survival Guide for kids with ADD or ADHD, is not only informative, it is also practical and fun. I support any author who suggests positive ways for parents to interact with their children with or without ADHD. This is a must have for any parent of a child with ADHD.

I am the author of:

One Boy's Struggle: A Memoir: Surviving Life with Undiagnosed ADD

Bryan

Fantastic book for kids with ADHD/ ADD. It has really helped in our household and I cannot recommend it highly enough. It is easy enough for kids to read and has loads of great chapters - Eating right, Ways to succeed at school, How to make and keep friends etc etc.

It talks about ADHD in a non-confronting way and has been an enormous help. My daughter carries it with her and quotes from it all the time. She has become a little more settled since reading this book and I think she is starting to understand a bit more about why she behaves the way she does.

I found this to also be a very interesting book. I am glad I had the time to read this book. The author seems to know a lot about the disability(s)these kids have. I think a lot of kids should read this book. I hope the more books I read are just like this one.

I have told everyone I know who has an ADHD kid about this book. My DD was recently diagnosed and it was a confusing time. The book clarified everything and normalized the issue for her. It was written simply and clearly and the age range given is perfect. A great resource for kids who are just diagnosed.

My son is in fourth grade and has ADHD. This is a great book! Very understandable for kids. It doesn't "talk down" to them either. It gives a lot of practical tips on ways kids can handle their ADHD. I would highly recommend it as there aren't very many books out there to help kids with ADHD improve their social skills.

My 11 year old son, who never reads on his own, actually spent 20 minutes reading this book when it arrived. Need I say more?

This book covers everything a parent would want to talk and teach a child with AD/HD. It covers even meds., coping skills, ect.. at a child's level. My son loves it! It makes him feel normal.