The Energetic Brain: Understanding and Managing ADHD

by Cecil R. Reynolds, Kimberly J. Vannest, Judith R. Harrison

How to get past the myths, tap into the creativity of the ADHD mind, and thrive ADHD affects millions of people-some 3 to 5% of the general population. Written by a neuroscientist who has studied ADHD, a clinician who has diagnosed and treated it for 30 years, and a special educator who sees it daily, The Energetic Brain provides the latest information from neuroscience on how the ADHD brain works and shows how to harness its potential for success. It distills the latest research findings to give readers the most up-to-date information available and provides practical strategies for managing ADHD-and thriving-at school, at work, and at home, from childhood through adulthood. The Energetic Brain provides a truly thorough view of ADHD, making it an invaluable guide for parents, teachers, and those living with ADHD.

Genres: Adhd, Psychology, Nonfiction

448 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

Reviews

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful introductory overview of ADHD, although written at a very basic, non-scientific level (e.g. includes countless diagrams of color-coded desks to illustrate what percentages mean). It is helpful that it's written by a multidisciplinary team. Note it's written in 2012, so getting dated.

--"There are, at minimum, four areas of behavioral strengths for individuals with ADHD. One or all may be present. Energy, focus at the beginning of tasks or projects or intense focus on activities of interest, intuition or sensitivity, and multitasking are each tremendous gifts that can serve a person well in successful living or be used strategically to compensate for problem behaviors" (p. 30-31)

--"Functional impairment is the daily impact of ADHD symptoms on social, academic, and/or occupational functioning, and is a requirement for a diagnosis of ADHD...difficulty following routines... difficulty with short-term memory and inconsistent use of organizational skills... ineffective time management skills and difficulties with neatness." (p. 45-46)

--"The National Resource Center on ADHD is a program sponsored by a sound nonprofit organization known as CHADD, Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder... maintains position papers on many proposed treatments and supposed cures once there is enough information to reject or support their use." (p. 127)

--"One goal for parenting of children with ADHD is to parent with an eye toward positive long-term outcomes. Remember that as frustrating and challenging as parenting a child with ADHD might be, the ultimate goal of your hard work is for your child to become a healthy, well-functioning, happy, and successful adult... To increase the likelihood of achieving this goal, techniques are included in this chapter to increase (1) positive interactions, (2) consistent discipline, and (3) involvement and monitoring. Parenting strategies are listed in Figure 7.1 and described in detail here, including (1) Triple-A parent-child interactions, (affection, positive attention, and affirmation); (2) consistent discipline (giving effective directions, determining and teaching clear expectations for behavior, enforcing and teaching rules through precorrection and negative and positive consequences; and (3) monitoring friendships, risk-taking behaviors, and medication." (p. 172)

--Figure 7.2 A3 Parent-Child Interactions (p. 174)
*Affection - smile, hug, pat on the back, rub his or her back, use your words; say "I love you"
*Positive Attention - plan a time for undivided attention every day, read to or with your child, play a game, attend school activities, have hobbies together
*Affirmation - smile or nod, positive written remarks, be specific, use specific and effective praise statements

--Figure 7.5 Components of Effective Directions (p. 180)
*Get your child's attention
*Be clear and specific
*Give step by step directions
*Ask your child to repeat the directions
*Demonstrate what you want your child to do
*Give a small number of directions at a time
*Say exactly what you mean
*Don't hurry
*Check on progress
*Praise your child for completion!

--Figure 8.1 Using Data to Select and Monitor Interventions (p. 201)
*Select target behavior
*Collect data
*Select an intervention
*Continue or change the intervention
*Monitor progress

--"The next step in the intervention process is to determine whether the problem is a skill deficit or a performance deficit. Ask yourself the following kinds of questions. Have you seen the child do the correct behaviors sometimes? That would indicate they "can do it" but they just aren't consistent. If the answer is never, then we might assume that this is a skill deficit and not a performance deficit. They might not have the skill yet and therefore need to be taught how to engage in the appropriate behavior." (p. 202)

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great introduction book. Did a good job of explaining and defining what ADHD is and how it can present itself. Also provided great strategies and tips for living with and managing the behaviors associated with ADHD in a wide variety of settings.

[Lorie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must-read. Not only for those in the field of diagnosis and treatment of ADHD, but for anyone with an interest in ADHD (personal or professional). One of the authors, Cecil Reynolds, is one of the foremost neuropsychologists doing research today and his influence can be seen in many, many areas of psychology (school psychology, neuropsychology, neuroscience, educational psychology), so he is very apt and able to address ADHD from the differing aspects of each discipline.

As for the "Energetic Brain", it is a very detailed and comprehensive book on ADHD. Not only does it speak in "real-life" terms and stay away from the psycho-babble we are often subjected to, it is a book for anyone with an interest in the subject. The book is extremely comprehensive and covers ADHD to its fullest. In it, you will find out what ADHD really is and how it presents. There is information on the history of ADHD which I found of great interest. Every chapter has a section titled "To Sum It Up" which is great if there is a particular chapter you want to review without going back and re-reading the whole chapter.

Not only does the book provide a comprehensive look at ADHD, but also talks about how one's ADHD can affect the person with ADHD's environment, family, relationships, and daily functioning. As a school psychologist who, as one can imagine, sees many ADHD diagnoses, I love the information provided regarding how to obtain an ACCURATE diagnosis and the grave importance of this as well as the dangers in obtaining an incorrect diagnosis. The section on the need for a comprehensive diagnosis of ADHD is a must-read for both clinicians and non-clinicians.

When thinking about ADHD and listening to the media reports of abuse of ADHD medications or the rise in diagnoses, people tend to have very strong opinions about medication. That is a personal decision between the patient and the clinician. In that vein, I appreciate the information on how medication works with ADHD (this is a great section on neuroanatomy and neurobiology but with descriptions anyone can understand) and the section on non-medical interventions for those that choose to go that route.

Probably one of the most helpful parts in the book for those with ADHD or those that help those with ADHD is part three that discusses interventions (ones that actually work!) related to the family, friends/relationships, school, how to navigate through the world of special education, and suggestions and interventions for college students, as well as management techniques and interventions for adults in the work environment.

All this and more is why I always reference and cite this book in my reports for my students with ADHD and it is my go-to book for anyone who has ADHD or has a child/friend/relative/spouse with ADHD. I always recommend this book to the parents of my students who are newly diagnosed or have been diagnosed. Reynolds, et al. are able to provide such a wide range of information about ADHD and do it in such a way that makes for an easy and incredibly informative read. I believe it is a must-read for anyone who is going into the field of ADHD assessment and diagnosis and/or treatment, but written in such a way that anyone who wants the latest information on ADHD can understand and become more knowledgeable on the topic. I loved this book and having been in the field for a number of years and read many books and research on the subject, I feel I have a good idea as to what a good book on ADHD is. I have found that this is book that provides the latest information and research and is a necessary part of my library. There are very few books I would highly recommend to parents and teachers, but "The Energetic Brain" is one I am constantly citing and recommending.

[Social Context · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent resource for parents, teachers, counselors, and anyone who would like to learn more about ADHD. This book provides not only great foundational explanation for what ADHD is and how it is experienced by those who have it, but also interventions that can be used at every age. It provides important information about how to address concerns of ADHD in the school system and explains 504 plans as well as IDEA.

[Mallorie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice insight

[Briana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book for an overview of ADHD and would be a good resource for parents. A little obvious to anyone who has a psychology background, but nevertheless a gold resource.