Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this book free of charge,from TarcherPerigee, a Penguin Random House imprint for review purposes on this blog. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it, all opinions are my own.
I have been aware of the definition, medicaitons and actions involving ADHD for awhile, as friends' kids have disgnosed, and I have seen what works and what doesn't. I was interested to read this book, as one of them had suggested it as good reading while your child is in the process of being diagnosed, or BEFORE you take that step, so that you have a better idea of what issues there might be first.
Unfortunately Dyslexia and ADHD frequently go hand in hand, so the possibility of an ADHD diagnosies is something that we are starting to look at, so I definitely wanted to check out this book.
· [i] Ibrahim K, and Donyai P, ‘’Drug Holidays From ADHD Medication: International Experience Over the Past Four Decades’’ Journal of Attention Disorders, 2015 Jul;19(7):551-68. A 2004 survey by Eli Lily & Company indicated 50% of parents of kids with ADHD plan to reduce or discontinue their child’s ADHD medication over school vacations, reported on Dr. Ned Hallowell’s website: http://www.drhallowell.com/
· [ii] Figure of 6.4 million children and adolescents diagnosed withADHD (with most children taking medications – 6.1% now taking meds, 11% have ever had a diagnosis) is from ‘’Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Data & Statistics,’’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/
Back to school is here for a great many of us, and it is an important time when 6.4 million kids[ii] diagnosed with ADHD will be returning to school,and their drug cocktails, as up to 70% of parents take their kids off medication during summer break?[
Just looking at that sentencce, as a parent, you can see something is inherently WRONG.
And THAT is the purpose of this book!
101 Ways to Improve Your Child’s Behavior and Attention Span without Drugs, Labels, or Coercion
Synsopsis:
A fully revised and updated edition of the groundbreaking book on tackling the root causes of children’s attention and behavior problems rather than masking the symptoms with medication.
More than twenty years after Dr. Thomas Armstrong's Myth of the A.D.D. Child first published, he presents much needed updates and insights in this substantially revised edition. When The Myth of the A.D.D. Child was first published in 1995, Dr. Thomas Armstrong made the controversial argument that many behaviors labeled as ADD or ADHD are simply a child's active response to complex social, emotional, and educational influences. In this fully revised and updated edition, Dr. Armstrong shows readers how to address the underlying causes of a child's attention and behavior problems in order to help their children implement positive changes in their lives.
The rate of ADHD diagnosis has increased sharply, along with the prescription of medications to treat it. Now needed more than ever, this book includes fifty-one new non-drug strategies to help children overcome attention and behavior problems, as well as updates to the original fifty proven strategies.
So before we get to my review. let's look at the definition of ADHD,
and info on treatment, from the book:
and info on treatment, from the book:
ADHD is a neurologically based disorder, most probably of genetic origin (although prenatal smoking and lead poisoning are also known to be contributing factors), which afflicts around 11 percent of America's children aged five to seventeen. Significantly more boys appear to have this disorder than girls (boys, 14 percent, girls, 6 percent), although girls who have evaded detection for years are increasingly being identified as having the version of ADHD that is referred to as "ADHD Inattentive Type." ADHD is characterized by three main features: hyperactivity (fidgeting, trouble playing quietly, always moving, leaving classroom seat, talking excessively), impulsivity (blurting out answers in class, interrupting others, having problems waiting turns), and/or inattention (forgetfulness, disorganization, losing 5 things, making careless mistakes, being easily distracted, daydreaming). Current thinking has identified three major groups of ADHD children, one group that appears more hyperactive and impulsive, another that seems more inattentive, and a third that has all three features. The symptoms must have lasted at least six months, have originated by the age of twelve, and have been observed in multiple settings (for example home and school).
There are no lab tests, biomarkers, or other objective methods available to diagnose this disorder. Assessment tools include parent, child, and teacher interviews, a thorough medical examination, and the use of specially designed behavior rating scales and performance tests. There is no known cure for ADHD, but it can be successfully treated in most instances using a psychostimulant medication such as Ritalin, Adderall, or Concerta. Other drugs have also been used as well, including antidepressants such as Wellbutrin, blood pressure medications such as clonidine, and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors such as Strattera. Nondrug interventions include behavior modification, parent training, a structured classroom setting, and information given to parents and teachers on the proper way of handling ADHD behaviors at home and in school.
There is no known cause of ADHD, but current thinking has it as involving structural abnormalities in the brain and biochemical imbalances in areas of the brain that are responsible for attention, planning, and motor activity, including the striatum, the cerebellum, the limbic system, and the prefrontal cortex. Neurotransmitters that appear to be dysregulated in ADHD include dopamine and norepinephrine. Children who have been diagnosed with ADHD can experience significant school problems, suffer from low self-esteem, have difficulty relating to peers, and encounter problems in complying with rules at home leading to conflict with parents and siblings. Some kids with ADHD also have learning disabilities, conduct disorders (destructive and/or antisocial behaviors), Tourette's syndrome (a disorder characterized by uncontrollable motor or verbal tics), and/or mood disorders including depression and anxiety. While ADHD seems to disappear for some children around puberty, it can represent a lifelong disorder for up to 80 percent of those initially diagnosed.
Review:
I have been aware of the definition, medicaitons and actions involving ADHD for awhile, as friends' kids have disgnosed, and I have seen what works and what doesn't. I was interested to read this book, as one of them had suggested it as good reading while your child is in the process of being diagnosed, or BEFORE you take that step, so that you have a better idea of what issues there might be first.
Unfortunately Dyslexia and ADHD frequently go hand in hand, so the possibility of an ADHD diagnosies is something that we are starting to look at, so I definitely wanted to check out this book.
Dr. Armstrong provides some very thought-provoking arguments in this book about HOW the definition of ADHD came into play, the typical pattern of diagnosis (SO different from other psychological issues), and how the research trials for ADHD drugs for actually sponsored by, you guessed it-drug companies, who had a vested interest in seeing the drugs come to the market, as the amount of children being diagnosed was exploding. When you look at the FACTS, you do start to wonder if a correct diagnosis is not always achieved, but a 'ready answer'one is given instead. This is NOT to say that there are children who DO need meds for the symptoms of ADHD, but that they might actually have a different psychological issue that may not be being diagnosed because of the ADHD. It makes any parent stop and rethink what might be occuring.
I was very impressed how Dr Armstrong saw the correlation between how educaiton begun being changed in 1983, and the subequent rise in ADHD dianoses. How we went fromkids being INVOLVED and participating in education (remember all the FUN projects we had in school?), to having to recite facts, and 'learning for the test', and having to sit for longer and longer periods. AKA, the loss of arts and even some recess time from the school day. So should we be medicating our children so they behave as they ought to and pay attention to what they ought to, when by nature they want more hadns on educaiton? Are we asking them for too much, at too young of an age? Just think about the changes in Kindergarten. I bet when you went it was all learning to cut, paste, get along with others, and learn the alphabet , colros and numbers. There was NOT learning to READ. That came later! So if we are putting THAT much extra pressure on kids, who are NOT ready for it at age 5, what hppens whn the stress is compounded year after year? Yup, kids eventually break down.
So if we keep adding new expectations to our kids (seriously, how many of them are doing 3-4 sports, besides extracurriculars BEFORE middle school?), it should NOT be a surprise that there’s been such an overwhelming expansion of ADHD diagnoses worldwide! Dr Armstrong instead asks, what can we do for behavior modification, both in US as parents/etachers/educators, and in our kids, to see if some of the issues might just stop. Secondly, are all meds alike? Homepathic and natural meds might be a more viable answer if a)they help and b)don't interact with othe biological meds needed, as they both offer ways less potentially HARMFUL side effects of traditional psychoactive mes like Adderall, Concerta, and Strattera. Especially for kids just being diagnosed, it might be better to take meds in a step process- see what natural meds might work FIRST, and keep the powerful meds for last stop. Isn't that what we parents usually want for our kids, in any other medical condition?
Dr Armstrong also gives some very good ideas to work on the behavior modifications before disgnosis by a professional, to see where the 'true' issues might be, as other psycholocal issues have the SAME symptoms, but need different treatments and meds. So you might be treating ADHD, when early bi-polar issues are what is actually going on. That's enough to cause you to take a step back from rushing into ADHD treatment. Most of the book deals with these practical, and rather simple really, strategies that parents and educators should consider to help kids diagnosed with ADHD.
When you look at ADHD factually, taking emootions out of the mix, you can see where there is much needed NEUTRAL research needed, to try to determine if ADHD is actually it's own diagnosis, or as the author suggest, an issue with brains not as quickly developed as the norm. All brains are not equal, so why do we insist on treating our kids's brains as such? Norms are just that- mid line. But why should kids UNDER that line been seen as having psychological issues? Perhaps we all need to take a step back and ask for better evaluations, research and education? This book is definitely thought provoking and I urde all parents to read it!
When you look at ADHD factually, taking emootions out of the mix, you can see where there is much needed NEUTRAL research needed, to try to determine if ADHD is actually it's own diagnosis, or as the author suggest, an issue with brains not as quickly developed as the norm. All brains are not equal, so why do we insist on treating our kids's brains as such? Norms are just that- mid line. But why should kids UNDER that line been seen as having psychological issues? Perhaps we all need to take a step back and ask for better evaluations, research and education? This book is definitely thought provoking and I urde all parents to read it!
About the Author:
Thomas Armstrong, Ph.D., is the executive director of the American Institute for Learning and Human Development, as well as a psychologist, learning specialist, and consultant to educational groups around the world. He has written for Family Circle, Ladies’ Home Journal, and Parenting magazine, and is the author of sixteen books, including Awaken Your Child’s Natural Genius and The Myth of the ADD Child. He has appeared on several national and international television and radio programs, including NBC’s The Today Show, CBS This Morning, CNN, and the BBC. Learn more at www.institute4learning.com.
· [i] Ibrahim K, and Donyai P, ‘’Drug Holidays From ADHD Medication: International Experience Over the Past Four Decades’’ Journal of Attention Disorders, 2015 Jul;19(7):551-68. A 2004 survey by Eli Lily & Company indicated 50% of parents of kids with ADHD plan to reduce or discontinue their child’s ADHD medication over school vacations, reported on Dr. Ned Hallowell’s website: http://www.drhallowell.com/
· [ii] Figure of 6.4 million children and adolescents diagnosed withADHD (with most children taking medications – 6.1% now taking meds, 11% have ever had a diagnosis) is from ‘’Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Data & Statistics,’’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/
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