The Misunderstood Child 4th (fourth) edition Text Only

by Larry B. Silver

The fully revised and updated must-have resource to help you become a supportive and assertive advocate for your childIn print for more than twenty years, The Misunderstood Child has become the go-to reference guide for families of children with learning disorders. This newly revised edition provides the latest research and new and updated content, How to identify and address specific disabilities, from dyslexia to sensory integration disorder New information on the genetics of learning disorders Expanded sections on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) The most recent neurological discoveries about how the brain functions in children with learning disabilities Insights about other neurological disorders common among individuals with learning disabilities, such as anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, anger-control problems, depression, and tic disorders Resources, Web sites, and organizations that can aid the treatment process and offer support for both parent and child

Genres: Parenting, Education, Adhd, Psychology

Paperback

First published June 1, 1984

About the author

Dr. Larry B. Silver is an author and a clinical professor of psychiatry at Georgetown Medical Center.

Reviews

[Catherine Mikkelsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Silver is a brilliant doctor, and this book has many, many useful tips for parents. I would recommend it as a reference book, or a book to be studied. That said, it's almost 400 pages, with about 10 point type.

A few things:
* This is a bit of a "kitchen sink" reference book, containing a real data dump from a psychiatrist.
* Lots and lots and lots of descriptions of ADHD medications, which I found a bit weird. So weird, in fact, that I put in some time (consumer-cynic that I am) checking to see if Dr. Silver is in the pay of Novartis. The only thing I found was a quote from him:

"They make the child 'normal.'" Larry B. Silver, "ADHD: Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder and Learning Disabilities: Booklet for the Classroom Teacher, published by Novartis (which makes Ritalin), in 1997. This is from a book called "Our Daily Meds: How the Pharmaceutical Companies Transformed Themselves into Slick Marketing Machines and Hooked the Nation on Prescription Drugs," by Melody Petersen.

The reason that I looked up the connection is this: My version of this book is from 2006, but it's an older book. Especially in more current years, we're seeing all sorts of new information about how children learn and how the brain develops that might pertain to understanding learning disabilities. And then involve physical exercises, teaching differently, and so forth.

In today's world, where 15% of American boys are told that they have ADHD, sometimes parents just want to do a little research on the alternatives.

I finally put two and two together. Dr. Silver is a professor of psychiatry. It's important to remember that psychiatrists are the doctors who are taught to identify problems, and then, in modern times, often medicate them. I came out of reading this book thinking that perhaps I should read books by teachers, or neurodevelopmental researchers (like Dr. Brock Eide), if I wanted to know more about learning disabilities.

[Shellie Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

So helpful for parents with a non-neurotypical child.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read if beginning down the path of learning about attention and learning issues.