Books (and materials)
Recommended by Parents of ADD Kids

• Making Children Mind without Losing Yours by Dr. Kevin Leman, available at Walmart in the inspirational book rack . List price $8.99 less Walmart discount.

   

   

• My Brother's a World-Class Pain: A Sibling's Guide to ADHD/Hyperactivity by Michael Gordon, PH.D, Professor of Psychiatry, Director, ADHD Clinic State University of New York Health Science Center at Syracuse.

   

  It's written in a humorous fashion- could be independently read by middle or upper elementary children. Or orally read to younger ones. On the back of the book, these titles are also listed. They are written by Dr. Gordon, but I haven't actually seen them yet. If they're as good as this one, I'd like to get them, too.

   

• Eagle Eyes... A Childs Guide to Paying Attention by Jeanne Gehret, M.A.

   

  Try Eagle Eyes, by Jeanne Gehret, about an ADHD boy who helps rescue his dad because he pays so much attention to what is going on around him he is the one who knows where to go get help.

  Also: The Don't Give Up Kid, same author, is about a child with reading or learning problems. Both have boys around 8 or so for the main character.

  I'm Somebody Too is about the older sister of the main character in Eagle Eyes, by the same author. I gave it to my daughter and she read it straight through in a sitting. For the good reader, about 10 or older.

   

• Nobody's Fault by Carol Kopelwitz, MD (sp?)

   

  I saw the author on a morning news show. He sounded good so I think his book would be good, although I have not read it yet. He talked about our kids having a no fault brain disorder whether it is LS, ADHD, ADD, OC, etc.

   

• Learning to Slow Down and Pay Attention. Dixon, E. and Nadeau, K. Chesapeake Psychological Services, 1991.

   

   

• Hyperactivity: Why Won't My Child Pay Attention? by Drs. Sam Goldstein and Michael Goldstein.

  Has chapter devoted to social skills. It has steps on helping your child make and keep friends, understanding, defining, and helping your child with social skills weaknesses, a social skills questionnaire and offers skills on listening to others, meeting new people, starting a conversation, ending a conversation, self-reward, asking, following instructions, sharing, understanding body language, playing a game, suggesting an activity, working cooperatively, offering help, saying thank you, offering a compliment, accepting a compliment, apologizing, understanding how his behavior affects others, and empathy.

   

• It's Just Attention Disorder. Goldstein, Sam & Goldstein, Michael.

   

  (Video Tape for Children) Neurology, Learning and behavior Center, 670 East 3900 South, Suite 100, Salt Lake City. Utah 84107

  There is an excellent video out called "Why Won't My Child Pay Attention?" featuring child psychologist, Sam Goldstein.

   

• Survival Guide for College Students With ADD or LD by Kathleen G. Nadeau. ( Magination Press, 9/94 paperback, 9.95 ISBN 0945354630)

  Good suggestions as to what to look for in a college, along with a lot of suggested approaches, how to advocate for themselves, time management skills, etc. It's a small book, so not terribly intimidating, but is packed with a lot of good advice.

   

• When you worry about the child you love: emotional and learning problems in children. by Edward Hallowell, M.D., new book out: Simon & Schuster, June, 1996, 0-684-80090-X, $23.

   

   

• Keeping a Head in School by Dr. Mel Levine.

   

  It isn't strictly about ADHD but rather learning disorders, but it also talks about ADHD, how the brain works, or doesn't work, and specific ways to learn to deal with the difficulties. It's written for teens/preteens and I've found it very helpful with Eric (when I could get him to read it!). I've also learned a lot from it, and it was also very helpful when I started suspecting other learning difficulties not necessarily related to ADHD. The approach in this book, of course from the title, is related mostly to dealing with it in relation to school, but I think the explanations of how the brain works can relate to better understanding ADHD in general.

   

• Teenagers with ADD: A Parent's Guide by by Chris Zeigler Dendy, MS.

   

  A great book "wrongly" titled it sould really be AN EVERYONES' GUIDE TO ADD HUMANS. I don't know why they named it Teenagers. It is just a great book for everything and reads easily. My guess is that the publisher never read it and wanted an exciting title for selling reasons.

  This book takes into account all ages but rests with teenagers. It has tests, examples, stories, letters, laws and SAMPLE IEPs too. Nice large print and plenty of note taking space in the margins. I suggest we include this book on our list of "must read" info. I sure wish I had had this 17 years ago! Very comprhensive and they even walk parents through the WAIS, IQs, personality, and academic tests so we can understand. Very Good. Woodbine House 6510 Bells Mill Rd. Bethesda Md 20817 800-843-7323 $18.95 paperback

   

• The Survival Guide for Kids with LD by Gary Fisher and Rhoda Cummings, Free Spirit Publishing Co.

   

  Book addresses how kids with Learning Diabilities cope with the stuff they have to at school. Although it is written for LD kids the information is useful for any kid that is considered different. Your local library should have it. Contains very useful hints.

   

• Otto Learns about His Medicine by Matthew Galvin.

   

  A little hoaky, but it helps get the point across in a decent way.

   

• Dancing in the Rain

   

  A book of stories of exceptional progress, written by parents of children with a wide variety of early problems. There are several case studies of kids diagnosed with ADD and ADHD. Please note that this book is about non-drug therapies, but is not against medication. It would be especially useful for teachers, clinical people, and parents of children with mixed diagnoses or "mystery" symptoms and behaviors. The book is available from the Georgiana Organization, P.O. Box 2607, Westport, CT 06880......(203) 454-1221. It's $20, which includes shipping, which is rather costly for a paperback. The reason for this is that they use it as a fundraiser.

   

• GET OUT OF MY LIFE, but first could you drive me and Cheryl to the mall? by Anthony E. Wolf, PhD, pub 1991 now in the 8th printing.

   

  This wonderful author has figured something out, ya, you guessed it, OUR TEENAGERS. He does more than listen to young people he hears tham and goes beyond their protestations and pleading to provide parents with an understanding of their lives. Without piety, self-rightous ness or arrogance, he offers assistance and advice for living with, dare I even say raising, our teens in a loving and compassionate manner. This book is not for the solum sorrowful no hummor type of prude parent. You cannot read this book without saying, AhA! Thats my kid! Try getting it, he can't say enough about us resident dictators with teen armies to feed.

   

• ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER AND THE LAW: A GUIDE FOR ADVOCATES by Peter S. Latham, J.D. and Patricia H. Latham, J.D.

  This is a great book. I got my copy from Special Needs Project, 3463 State Suite, Suite 282, Santa Barbara, 93105, but you can also probably get a copy from the ADD Warehouse. This book is excellent for detailing how the federal laws should cover ADD/ADHD.

   

• Working with People with Challenging Behviors by a Victoria, B.C. psychologist, Nathan Ory, MA.

   

  The author specializes in people with extremely challenging behavior and/or diagnosis with a concurrent mental health disorder, including people with autism and pervasive developmental disabilities. The book contains many practical techniques and innovations for working successfully with people with challenging behaviors. For information: Write to Nathan Ory, M.A., Glendale Lodge Society, P.O. Box 4250 Station A, Victoria, British Columbia, V8X 3X9 Canada.

   

• If Your Child is Hyperactive, Inattentive, Impusive, Distractible...Helping the ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder)/Hyperactive Child; A practical program for changing your child's behavior with and without medication by Stephen W. Garber, Marianne Daniels Garber and Robyn Freedman Spizman. c.1990, Villard Books.

   

  This book contains a lot of practical ideas for behavior modification, including chapters on how to stretch attention spans, calmness training, following rules, controlling aggression, etc. One chapter of interest is "The ADHD Child at Play". It contains a Social Skills Checklist that can be used to determine key areas you want to work on, then suggestions on teaching your child how to approach relationships differently.

   

• Driven to Distraction and Answers to Distraction both by Dr. Edward Hallowell and Dr. John Ratey

   

  The first book is filled with case histories; the second addresses the most frequently asked questions about the condition. Excellent.

   

• Hyperactivity in Children, Adolescents, and Adults: Attention Deficit Disorder By Paul Wender, M.D.

   

  My mother said that this was the book that helped her understand ADD and her grandson. In 150 pages, Dr. Wender really covers the issues involved for parents as well as the condition of ADD.

   

• Understanding ADD: Attention Deficit Disorder by Dr Christopher Green & Dr Kit Chee (Doubelday, ISBN 0 86824 587 9)

   

  I don't know how easy it would be to get in the US, but this is without a single doubt absolutely the best book on ADD/ADHD that I have read. Dr Green is a paediatrician in Sydney, Australia and also wrote the two best books on child-rearing I have ever read ("Babies!" & "Toddler Taming").

   

• Time Management for Unmanageable People by Ann McGee Cooper, ISBN 0 - 553-37071-5

   

  Recommended for those in need of organization. Many of the tips and techniques in this book are perfect for ADDers. "for creative, inspired, hopelessly disogranized types."

   

• A.D.D. on the Job: Making Your ADD work for You by Lynn Weiss.

   

  In case any of you are ADD or have an ADD teenager who wants to work, this book is excellent. Addresses the many problems caused by being ADD and better yet, the solutions. This is the most helpful book I've seen on integrating ADD and real life demands.

   

• Taking Charge of ADHD, The Complete, Authoritative Guide for Parents by Russell A. Barkley, PH.D., paperback, 16.95, Guilford Press.

   

  It's excellent and even has a chapter about adolescents, talks about ADD non-hyperactive type, and a good section on meds. The criteria list is from DSM-IV, the other one used DSM-III which isn't in use anymore. If you want to buy one, I'd get this new one rather than the older one.

Catalogs, videos, other sources

 

• Sun Media

   

  For those who haven't, you should check out SUN Media, 1095 25th St SE, Suite 107, Salem, OR 97301. This is a source of a lot of ADHD related material. It is run by Dr. John Taylor, who is the author of one of the best books on ADHD, "HELPING YOUR HYPERACTIVE CHILD." The phone number is 1-800-VIP-1ADD. Their catalog includes all of his publications and videos as well as a lot of stuff published by others, including Thomas Phelan.

top

home | about me | difficult children | survival for parents | thoughts on parenting
parenting skills/discipline | communication | common problems | laugh it off
children's needs | school days | summer with the kids | holidays with the kids
recommended reading | recommended products | links | awards
"your thoughts" bulletin board | send page to friend