"If you take your eye off of him for a second, he'll be up on the roof!" I will always remember these words from my Grandma Mary in her charming German-Hungarian accent spoken after she babysat my son, who was two years old at the time. While her words were an apt description, they came as no surprise. My son has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Later his two sisters, 16 months and six years younger respectively, were also diagnosed with ADHD. All three are now happy and healthy, self-supporting young adults in their 20s.
Overcoming ADHD: Helping Your Child Become Calm, Engaged, and Focused — WITHOUT A PILL by Stanley I. Greenspan, M.D., with Jacob Greenspan is a short, to the point, easy to read book promoting behavioral strategies to consider before seeking medication for ADHD. This book will be helpful to parents of young children who have been diagnosed with ADHD (or ADD) and to parents of undiagnosed children who display some degree of what I call 'ADD-ishness'. Kids with 'ADD-ishness' can be highly self-directed or independent (what some people call stubborn or self-willed), forgetful, very active, and have difficulty following direction and paying attention. (Sound like ADHD?) These types of children also require a higher level of parenting skill as do children formally diagnosed with ADD or ADHD.
With about '80 years' in the parenting trenches with my three kids and as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, I sought out information early and often on Attention Deficit Disorder. I have read dozens of books and attended well over 100 hours of continuing education (CEU's) on the subject of ADD and ADHD. I agree with Dr. Greenspan that the first line approach to working with most children with ADD is not medication. (My three each began medication in their teens, when academic demands became overwhelming.)
In my professional work for over 20 years with couples, families, and parenting, I encourage a very careful and thought out approach to the use of medication for children to address ADHD and similar issues. At the same time, I understand there are broad differences in family structures, parenting strengths, school systems, community and family support systems, and the individual children — all factors which combine to influence medication decisions.
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