Is Your Child Hyperactive? Inattentive? Impulsive? Distractible?: Helping the ADD/Hyperactive Child

by Stephen W. Garber, Marianne Daniels Garber, Robyn Freedman Spizman

Evan, five years old, hardly stands, much less sits, still for more than a few moments. Jessie is eight -- she's adorable...she never finishes anything on time...she's a dreamer. Cal is fifteen -- he is so impulsive that his parents worry he'll try drugs on a whim.

What do these kids have in common? Do they remind you of your own children?

The most talked-about childhood syndrome of the eighties and nineties is ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). This developmental disorder disrupts a child's life and often results in low self-esteem, poor grades and even social and emotional problems. These problems usually are not outgrown -- without help. But does your child have ADHD?

ADHD is characterized by the following groups of

Inattention

-- making careless mistakes

-- difficulty sustaining attention

-- problems with listening

-- failure to finish schoolwork or chores

-- difficulties organizing

-- trouble sustaining mental efforts

-- losing things

-- being easily distracted

-- forgetfulness

Hyperactivity/Impulsivity

-- fidgeting/squirming

-- trouble staying seated

-- inappropriate running/climbing

-- difficulty playing quietly

-- being on the go/driven

-- talking excessively

-- blurting out answers

-- difficulty awaiting turn

-- often interrupting

All children display many of these behaviors at some point. But-according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association, Fourth Edition, for a child to be diagnosed with ADHD, six or more of these symptoms of inattention and/or hyperactivity/impulsivity must have persisted for at least six months.

Is Your Child Hyperactive? Inattentive? Impulsive? Distractible? offers an invaluable step-by-step program already used by thousands of parents to help you change these behaviors at home. Don't just watch it happen; help your child help himself.

256 pages, Paperback

First published October 10, 1990

Reviews

[Beth A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t enjoy this book quite as much as Beyond Ritalin: Facts about Medication and Other Strategies for Helping Children, Adolescents, and Adults with Attention Deficit Disor. It seemed a little less clear and smooth, so it wasn’t as much fun to read. But it was still easy to understand and had some really good information. This is what I have been looking for; specific exercises to help the problem behaviors associated with ADHD.

These are the chapter titles for that part of the book:

Controlling Activity Level
Impulse Control Training
Beating Distractions
Stretching Attention Span
Following Rules
Controlling Aggression

I’m not sure I like the point motivation system, but I understand that the child must be motivated to make these behavior changes. I plan on checking this one out again and trying out some of the suggestions.