The Myth of the ADHD Child: 101 Ways to Improve Your Child's Behavior and Attention Span without Drugs, Labels, or Coercion

Description

When Thomas Armstrong's Myth of the A.D.D. Child was first published in 1995, it was controversial and confronted our obsession with Attention Deficit Disorder. Dr. Armstrong argued that many behaviours labelled as ADD are simply a child's active response to complex social, emotional, and educational influences, and that by tackling the root causes of a child's attention and behaviour problems, rather than masking the symptoms with medication and behaviour-modification programs, parents can help their children implement positive changes in their lives. Now more than twenty years later, the rate of ADHD diagnosis has increased sharply, along with the prescription of medications to treat it. Dr. Armstrong presents new developments and much-needed insights in this substantially revised edition. In addition to updating his original fifty proven strategies for parents to help children overcome attention and behaviour problems, he adds fifty-one new non-drug strategies.

Thomas Armstrong, Ph.D., is a psychologist, learning specialist, and consultant to educational groups around the world. He has written for Family Circle, Ladies' Home Journal, and Parenting magazine, and is the author of nine books, including Awakening Your Child's Natural Genius

"...absolutely essential reading for parents, teachers, and others concerned with children who struggle. Armstrong provides a lucid and comprehensive response to the tragic overuse of medication for America's children. Bursting the myths of an established brain deficit, a single cause, and long-term effectiveness of drugs, Armstrong discusses parental options with compassion." - L. Alan Sroufe, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus of Child Psychology, Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota "Thomas Armstrong, author of a pioneering series of books on neurodiversity, offers practical alternatives for parents who want to enable their ADHD-diagnosed children to tap the natural strengths of their atypical minds, manage stress, and express their creative intelligence without relying solely on medication. An inspiring guide to helping your kids live up to their fullest potential." - Steve Silberman, author of NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity "I love this book! If you feel like you are at the end of your rope, The Myth of the ADHD Child gives you lots and lots more rope - 101 tools to help your child thrive. This book is masterful in problem solving and will give you hope that there is always something more you can try." - Dr. Lara Honos-Webb author of The Gift of ADHD, www.addisagift.com "At a time when ADHD and the medications used to treat it are growing by leaps and bounds, Thomas Armstrong asks parents to think critically about the ADHD diagnosis, to value the uniqueness of their children's different rhythms of learning, attending, and behaving, and to appreciate and use the wide range of non-drug strategies that are out there to help their kids prosper in school and flourish in life." - Michele Borba, Ed.D., author ofThe Big Book of Parenting Solutions, Building Moral Intelligence, and UnSelfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All-About-Me World "Parents everywhere should read this book, not just those with kids diagnosed with ADHD! Thomas Armstrong presents a wealth of strategies, ideas, tips, and resources that will help parents nurture kids who feel good about themselves, who have skills for coping with life's challenges, and who practice learning strategies that will help them succeed in the classroom and beyond. I wholeheartedly recommend The Myth of the ADHD Child !" - Jack Canfield, Coauthor of the Chicken Soup for the Soul (R) series and The Success Principles (TM) "This is a fabulous book. Not only does Armstrong explain with balance and clarity the evidence-based problems associated with the concept of ADHD; he also provides a wealth of practical ideas, resources, and approaches to help the parents of any kid who is presenting with challenging behaviour, especially those who have or might attract a diagnosis of ADHD. Professionals and parents alike will benefit enormously from reading this." - Sami Timimi, M.D. Consultant in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Visiting Professor of Child Psychiatry and Mental Health Improvement, Lincoln University