Synopses & Reviews
Attention-deficit / hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is thought to affect between 3 and 6 percent of school-aged children. The symptoms of the disorder - difficulty paying attention, impulsivity, and agitation - lead others to brand them as difficult, unfocused, and unruly. But the clinical studies and experiences of the author of The Gift of ADHD suggest that many of the traits that label kids with ADHD may be an expression of deeper gifts: powerful imagination, searching insight, and unusual intuition. The goal of this book is to help readers recast the paradigm they use to think about the condition, encouraging them to help ADHD kids develop their unique gifts.
The book begins with an overview of current ADHD diagnosis including definitions and a sample of a case study. Each subsequent chapter reframes certain ADHD symptoms in a positive way and reinforces this transformation with awareness exercises designed to increase the appreciation of the child's traits. These techniques include action strategies for channeling ADHD traits into productive outlets. And the book doesn't limit itself to a discussion of kids with ADHD: It includes exercises to help parents cope with any feelings of failure they may be experiencing and to reverse any negative patterns associated with ADHD that might be at work in their families. The book offers advice on how to navigate education and mental health systems to the best advantage of ADHD kids and how to understand and make the best use of conventional ADHD therapies, including prescription drugs.