AD / HD For Dummies

Sound advice for parents whose kids have trouble
concentrating

According to the National Institutes of Health, an estimated
five to ten percent of children suffer from Attention Deficit
Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
This book provides answers for parents of children who may have
either condition, as well as for adult sufferers. Written in a
friendly, easy-to-understand style, it helps people recognize and
understand ADD and ADHD symptoms and offers an authoritative,
balanced overview of both drug and non-drug therapies.

Autorentext

Jeff Strong is the Founder and President of REI Institute, which focuses on neuro-developmental disabilities. Michael O. Flanagan, MD, is a neuropsychiatrist in private practice in New Mexico.

Zusammenfassung
Sound advice for parents whose kids have trouble concentrating According to the National Institutes of Health, an estimated five to ten percent of children suffer from Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This book provides answers for parents of children who may have either condition, as well as for adult sufferers. Written in a friendly, easy-to-understand style, it helps people recognize and understand ADD and ADHD symptoms and offers an authoritative, balanced overview of both drug and non-drug therapies.

Inhalt

Introduction 1

About This Book 1

Not So Foolish Assumptions 2

Conventions Used in This Book 2

How This Book Is Organized 3

Part I: The ABCs of AD/HD 3

Part II: Diagnosing AD/HD 3

Part III: Treating AD/HD 3

Part IV: Living with AD/HD 4

Part V: The Part of Tens 4

Icons Used in This Book 4

Where to Go from Here 5

Part I: The ABCs of AD/HD 7

Chapter 1: AD/HD Basics 9

Identifying Symptoms of AD/HD 10

Peering into primary symptoms 10

Seeing a few secondary symptoms 11

Clueing in on AD/HD's Origins 11

Getting a Diagnosis of AD/HD 12

Choosing your professional 12

Preparing for the evaluation process 13

Viewing Various Treatment Approaches 14

Recognizing AD/HD's Role in Your Life 14

Dealing with daily life 15

Accentuating the positive 15

Chapter 2: Exploring the Causes of AD/HD 17

Reviewing Past Theories 17

Searching for a Plausible Theory 20

Examining the Core Issue in AD/HD 21

Recognizing the role of self-regulation 21

Exploring executive functions 22

Exploring Current AD/HD Research 24

Genetic 24

Anatomical 25

Functional 26

Chemical 27

Getting Down to the Bottom Line 29

Chapter 3: The Many Faces of AD/HD 31

Picturing the Primary Symptoms of AD/HD 31

Inattention/distractibility 32

Impulsivity 34

Restlessness/hyperactivity 36

Studying Some Secondary Symptoms 37

Anticipation of failure 37

Worry 38

Boredom 38

Loss of motivation/feelings of hopelessness 38

Frustration 39

Low self-esteem 39

Sleep disturbances 39

Substance abuse 40

Facing AD/HD in Different Populations 40

Children 41

Adolescents 41

Adults 42

Women 43

Part II: Diagnosing AD/HD 45

Chapter 4: Finding the Right Professional for You 47

Help Wanted: Searching for the Right Person(s) 47

Getting a diagnosis for legal purposes 48

Considering your professional options 48

Examining Your Values 55

Digging into your ideas about diagnosis 56

Tackling your thoughts on treatment 56

Evaluating Your AD/HD Professional 57

Selecting a diagnostician 57

Partnering up for treatment 58

Getting a Second Opinion 59

Managing Your Care 60

Being Eligible for Services 61

Examining your insurance coverage 62

Seeking out school services 62

Chapter 5: Navigating the Evaluation Process 65

Preparing for the Evaluation Process 65

Psychiatric/Psychological Evaluations 67

Medical Testing 68

Educational Testing 69

Skills Testing 70

Behavioral Assessment 71

Performance Testing 71

Physiological Testing 72

EEG 72

ERP 72

MRI 73

fMRI 73

PET 73

SPECT 74

Knowing What to Do after Diagnosis 74

Chapter 6: Conditions That Look Like or Overlap with AD/HD 77

Understanding Differential Diagnosis 77

Looking at Conditions with Symptoms Similar to AD/HD 79

Mental disorders 79

Medical conditions 84

Sensory processing disorders 86

Pseudo-AD/HD 88

Part III: Treating AD/HD 91

Chapter 7: Choosing the Best Treatment Options for You 93

Understanding the Three Levels of Treatment 93

Biological treatments 94

Psychological treatments 95 S...