Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

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.

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.

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 childs 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, isnt 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 childs 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.

My husband and son both have ADHD so when this book came up on the list of choices for a required book review for a psych class I was taking, I decided to read it. I was amazingly surprised at the well-informed, scientifically critical information he has presented. Now if you don't believe ADHD is a real condition or understand why drugs work (and why they sometimes don't) this book will only [*] you off. ADHD is the most widely researched childhood disease/condition and Russell Barkley presents the best scientifically proven info here. He not only tells parents what to look for but how to become your child's best advocate, educating you as the parent and walking you thru the process. His suggestions on methods to improve your child's performance I took to be used under the condition that either your child wasn't recieving or wasn't responding to medication. When my spouse and son, who are on different medications (my son is part of a Provigil study and my husband is using Adderall)are off their meds I find it necessary to use many of the methods he suggests, when they are on them I find they are just your average people.

My bottom line on this book is read it. It should help you become more empowered as a parent. Then look at the research he sites. Being an informed, educated, discerning parent is the best thing you can do for your child.

As the parent of a 7 yr old with SEVERE ADHD-(hyperactivity/impulsivity), we really needed this blunt and often extreme view point. We have spent the last 4 years trying every alternative to avoid meds. We have tried the diet change, school change, rigid structure adaptation, behavior modification, strict discipline enforcement, counseling, and even play therapy. You name it, weve tried it.

I am not an advocate of drug therapy by any means. I know of many kids taking drugs for ADD/ADHD who DON'T need it. But when you see heartache in the eyes of a child who doesn't understand why no one wants to play with him, something has to give.

Sometimes there are no other alternatives that work for a child and his family. While I agree that Dr. Barkley does tend to be a stimulant med advocate, he also offers information in a realistic manner. Lets face it, if you have read or are reading this book, you're probably struggling with where to go next. Just remember that while not all kids need meds to function and perform, there are those kids who really do need them. This book does offer other alternatives to try as well as things to do to accompany medication treatments.

This is the best discussion of ADHD as a medical disorder that I have read. Dr. Barkley explains ADHD as a problem with behavior inhibition where the distractability, inpulsivity and hyperactivity are the results of the underlying problem. He then gives a thorough discussion of how parents can help themselves and their children with behavior modification techniques. He also discusses various medications that are used to treat ADHD.

The reason that I do not give this book 5 stars is that it is not a complete picture of ADHD. The medical disorder model is not the only way, and not neccesarily the best way to view this condition. I can only think of one paragraph in the whole book that mentions positive traits which are associated with ADHD. You really need to read a wider range of books to get a more complete picture.

Hallowell and Ratey's "Driven to Distraction" gives a wonderful look at the many different ways that ADD can affect people and some idea of what it feels like from the inside. Thom Hartmann's "Attention Deficit Disorder: A Different Perspective" views ADHD as a personality trait with distinct advantages under the right circumstances rather than a disorder. These books will help expand Dr Barkley's important viewpoint.

I am very disappointed with this book and disturbed by its apparent popularity. I do not agree with parents who panned this book with because of its emphasis on medication. Many ADHD children, my own included, are more endangered off medication than on. I am more concerned by Dr. Barkley's generally pessimistic outlook on ADHD, his extreme emphasis on reward systems, and rigid classroom environments.
A simple incentive program is important as one component of behavior management, but a program that relies almost entirely on a system of rewards and punishments places control of the child's behavior in the hands of parents and teachers and robs the child of the opportunity to ever take responsibility for his/or her own conduct.
Likewise, I am troubled by his recommendations for classroom management. He describes a classroom in which children sit in rows and their activities are highly regulated by the teacher. The best thing that every happened to our ADHD child is Montessori, where he is able to regulate his own experiences, choosing to work quietly alone when he feels over-whelmed and joining other children when he can control of himself. Our academically gifted, highly creative son flourishes in this environment, but he would utterly shut down in the type of classroom Dr. Barkley describes.
I fear Dr. Barkley's recommendations stem from a basic lack of faith in the ADHD child. He barely acknowledges the strengths of the child, and repeatedly focuses on the negative. He seems to view the ADHD child, (and adult) as helpless victim, who must be regulated and organized by others.
I view the role of the parents, psychologist, psychiatrist, and teachers in the ADHD child's life as helping him or her learn to manage the disease. Ultimately, overtime, responsibility for self-control must be handed over to the patient, as s/he will grown up. Therefore, along with external rewards within limits, the child needs to learn systems of self-management and to recognize the internal rewards that come with self-control. Clearly, as the very title indicates, Dr. Barkley places control of the behavior in the hands of the caregivers. Where will the child be when s/he is grown and we are no longer are able to exert this kind of control?

As a fully licensed clinical psychologist and the author of Parenting Kids with ADD/ADHD: Real Tools for Real Life I feel uniquely qualified to say that Dr. Barkley's book is the MOST complete ADHD-related parenting book in print today. It offers a complete review of the scientific literature related to ADHD, and describes scientifically supported treatments. This volume could be improved by being more user friendly, and somewhat less dense (goals I attempted to meet in my own volume mentioned above).

-Dr. Al Winebarger

As a parent of an ADHD teenager, I have found "Taking Charge of ADHD" to be the best ADHD resource ever. When I first read this book when my daughter was diagnosed ADHD over 8 years ago I found it to be not only informative as to the technical aspects of what ADD and ADHD are, but also very helpful, motivational and supportive in the ways that it describes how a parent CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE and help their child to become the best that they can be. Over the years, as my daughter has grown, ADHD has played a major role in each of her "phases of development". Each time I needed either additional support or more information on a new issue, I always turn to "Taking Charge of ADHD" first, and I have never been disappointed. This book has always been there for me both as an authoritative resource and as supportive reassurance. I recommend it to anyone who truly wants to learn about ADD/ADHD and how to understand and work with these very special children.

after reading the reviews, especially those that sided on the negative, I noticed many individuals familair with EEG biofeedback, chose not to endorse this book, in favor of treatment that doesn't use psychostimulants. I am not too familair with EEG biofeedback, but I have found some children and adults whose lives have changed tremendously from using psychostimulants. Kids with ADHD have obvious difficulty controlling their behavior, and are often subject to scorn and ridicule from parents and teachers. They often have difficulty with self esteem and comorbid mood disorders such as depression because they just "can't get it right". I've been witness to children with moderate to severe ADHD and have seen psychostimulants change their lives. You can't deny it effects although we can all be outraged at the overmedication of some children that gains the public's eye. When I first started working with children I believed psychostimulants had to be avoided, but after years of proof the evidence is overwhelming. The combination of psychostimulants and psychotherapy/education is a powerful form of treatment. In my opinion many children begin to learn with fewer distractions, their social skills and peer relations improve and most importantly they gain confidence in themselves and their abilities. My suggestion is to read books and educate yourself. Unfortunately, Barkley is a tough read. His books are better suited for researchers and neuroscientists, but when distilled, they provide some help in understanding this disorder.