BOOK FORUM:  Deepak Prabhakar, M.D., M.P.H.

Superparenting for ADD: An Innovative Approach to Raising Your Distracted Child.  By Edward M. Hallowell and Peter S. Jensen. New York, NY: Ballantine Books, 2008. 212 pp, $25.00 (hardcover).

Diagnosing attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is traditionally rooted in identifying deficits. In an effort to diagnose patients accurately in a time-efficient manner, providers are often dissuaded from identifying strengths and positives that children with ADHD possess. The strength-based approach of this book is like a breath of fresh air in a process of diagnosis and management that primarily relies on exposing weaknesses.

Renowned experts in the field, Edward Hallowell and Peter Jensen have synthesized their combined wisdom into a succinct format. At times it seems that the authors are responding to a worried parent’s questions about effective management of a child with ADHD. Their consultation is as intriguing as it is practical and informative. The authors make a conscious effort to keep the text reader-friendly, particularly for parents of these children. For instance, they use the term attention-deficit disorder (ADD) in place of ADHD due to its wider recognition with the general public.

The authors set the enduring positive tone of this book in the Introduction. The discussion on unconditional love and its attributes is a welcome change. Readers are reminded that love helps us accept children for what they are rather than what we want them to be. So often in dealing with children who have ADD, this message is overlooked.

For years, the focus of treatment in ADD has been correcting the deficits. This approach can be frustrating right from the start. The authors urge readers to go a step beyond and look at ADD with a positive mindset. The diagnosis of ADD is accompanied by negative terms such as inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. However, children with ADD have certain strengths that are often overlooked: creativity, tenacity, energy, curiosity, and imagination. Referring to these strengths has the potential to kindle hope rather than pessimism at the time of diagnosis. The authors offer various positive attributes that go hand-in-hand with associated deficits, for example, curious with distractible, creative with impulsive, and eager with intrusive. Concentrating on deficits while ignoring strengths can potentially contribute to the stigma associated with ADD. Hallowell and Jensen’s approach can help us turn the tide against stigma associated with ADD, because parents and children will be more willing to discuss ADD if the discussion focuses on positives rather than negatives.

The authors offer a practical plan to discover the strengths and hidden talents of children with ADD. While discussing the “cycle of excellence” (p. ), the authors rely on the unifying theme of love. They underscore the importance of love in making the child feel connected to himself and to his environment. Once the child feels connected and loved, he is more able to participate in and master those activities that enlighten the imaginative process in a developing brain. The authors encourage readers to recognize any amount of progress rather than wait for the child to win major awards in a competitive field. This can go a long way toward boosting self-confidence in children who are accustomed to rejection by their peers, schools, and families. The discussion around conative strengths is enlightening and the conative model, if implemented in a tactful manner, can go a long way toward increasing productivity while enhancing the self-esteem of children with ADD. The authors offer several helpful pearls of wisdom for effective management of children with ADD in a school setting.

They discuss several successful school models being implemented across the United States. The readers will find this section helpful and informative, because few parents know how to interact with schools to obtain appropriate services for their children.
Empathy, an ingredient to any successful parent–child relationship, is discussed in a sensitive way. The authors take us through the life experiences of a fictional individual with ADD. This captivating narrative is based on experiences the authors have had with children they have treated. After reading this interesting piece, readers will feel a heightened appreciation for the challenges that these children face in their daily lives. Parents may ultimately feel empowered by their new understanding of their child’s feelings.
This book does not include detailed sections on diagnostic techniques, comprehensive reviews of medications, therapies and alternative treatments, genetics, or classroom management of ADD. The authors reference their previous work and suggest numerous resources on these related topics wherever necessary. However, this book does a great job in discussing the most important intervention of all, love. Just when you thought that you have read every possible book on ADD, you will be surprised that a text on “love” and “strengths” can be so refreshing and effective.

Use of the term superparenting in the title seems appropriate. In our contemporary hectic Western lifestyle, with negligible social supports for families, an extraordinary effort is a prerequisite for rearing any child, with or without ADD. This book leads its readers on an exciting expedition of discovery by offering a strength-based model that will help parents and other caregivers uncover several of these children’s previously unrecognized talents.

Superparenting for ADD is an informative and fascinating text. This book makes an honest attempt to educate its readers about virtues of children with ADD. This approach has the potential to change the way parents, peers, and society in general interacts with these children. I strongly recommend this book to parents, teachers, and providers who are involved in taking care of children with ADD. Ultimately, I hope Hallowell and Jensen have found an effective tool to address the stigma associated with ADD.

Deepak Prabhakar, M.D., M.P.H.
Wayne State University, Detroit, MI

Disclosure: Dr. Prager reports no biomedical financial interests or potential conflicts of interest. Dr. Storrs reports no biomedical financial interests or potential conflicts of interest. Dr. Miller reports no biomedical financial interests or potential conflicts of interest. Dr. Prabhakar reports no biomedical financial interests or potential conflicts of interest.

I am always looking for new, non-medication treatments for both ADHD and reading problems, and I believe this is one of the best.  It is actually not new, in that it has been in use clinically for 30 years.  However, some of the science behind it is new.  It is based upon the principle of stimulating the cerebellum, a region at the back of the brain that has connections to the front parts of the brain, which is where the symptoms involved in ADHD and reading problems originate.

By stimulating the cerebellum through physical exercises, like standing on a balance board, juggling, standing on one leg with your eyes closed, and a variety of others, you can actually bring about improvement in concentration and reading fluency, by taking advantage of the connections from the cerebellum to the front parts of the brain.  

The beauty of the Learning Breakthrough Program is that it makes this therapy affordable, convenient, and actually fun.  You order the kit and do the exercises at home.  You can demonstrate for yourself that it is working by doing the before and after comparisons the kit shows you how to do.  So, you get immediate positive reinforcement, which is a powerful motivator to keep you, or your child, doing the exercises.

One of my sons and my wife benefitted enormously from cerebellar stimulation exercises, my son with a reading problem, and my wife with a coordination problem (yes, these exercises also improve coordination and athleticism!).

LBP can–and should–be used as part of a comprehensive treatment program that also includes education, coaching, tutoring, perhaps medication, and perhaps additional complementary treatments.

I am so enthusiastic about LBP that I have leant my name to endorse the product.  I have become a consultant to the company, and while they do pay me for my time, I would never endorse a product I did not totally believe in.  While we do need more research to prove the efficacy of LBP, I have seen enough anecdotally for me to be a big-time fan of this effective, convenient, and affordable treatment.

 I think LBP is one of the most exciting innovations in the treatment of ADHD and reading problems since the advent of stimulant medication in 1937.  And it carries the possibility of going one better than medications, in that it addresses underlying causes.

The only drawback to LBP is that not enough people know about it.  I hope to help in the effort to change that soon!

To learn more, go to the LBP web site, learningbreakthrough.com

There is no one key.  Watch out for simplistic solutions and the people who offer them.  There is no one best remedy, there is no one best system, there is no one best medication or nutritional supplement.  And what works for one person will not necessarily work for you or your child.

However, having treated ADD in children and adults for over 25 years now, and having ADD as well as dyslexia myself, I can say with absolute certainty that while there is no one key, we do have a marvelous assortment of keys that open many of the doors untreated ADD can seem to close.  The doors to success, personal fulfillment, joy, health, and lifelong satisfaction.

“The key” is to find the various keys that work for you. The best way to do this is to work with a doctor who knows that vast array of available keys.  Sadly, such doctors can be hard to find.  If that’s the case for you, start with my books.  Start with Delivered from Distraction and SuperParenting for ADD.  Those books will show you many keys that might work for you or your child.  As you read, you will start to smile and fill up with knowledge and knowledge’s sibling, hope.

I can tell you for sure that there is always a realistic chance for major improvement.  So don’t settle for mediocre results.  People with ADD are champions in the making.  I want you to know this just as surely as I know it.  You, or your child, are champions in the making.  Let me help you get there, either through my books, or through a personal conversation.  I have started offering telephone appointments for people who can’t come to see me in person.  If you are interested in booking such an appointment, just contact my assistant, Dianne, at hallowellevents@drhallowell.com

The great mistake people make as they work with their ADD or their child’s is settling for less than the best outcome.  Please don’t make that mistake yourself.

As I deal with my prostate cancer, it has been truly inspirational to me to feel the tremendous support I’ve received from so many, many people.  Their support doesn’t take the cancer away, but it surely does stoke me up with positive energy, thoughts, and feelings.  I guess what I’m saying is that no matter how hard times are, if you open yourself up to it, positive energy is out there for you.  We’re all in this thing called life together, and we all suffer certain pain.  But we can be there for one another, no matter what.  Being there for each other is the best antidote I know of to life’s pain.  —

What does this have to do with ADD, you might be asking yourself?  Just that so much of life with ADD can be saturated with negative thoughts and feelings. It can be saturated with pessimism, fear, and shame—all quite well based in reality and truly negative events.  But, as much as those painful events can’t be removed from our lives, we can work with one another to lift each other’s burdens.  And we can discover that doing this is actually magical.  When I was in the Dana Farber Hospital last week planning my treatment, a young woman came by offering books and magazines she had on a pushcart.  Even though I didn’t need a book or magazine, just seeing her made me feel like crying tears of joy.  How awesome this young woman, likely a volunteer, was making her rounds through the hospital.  It was as if she were an itinerant preacher.  And then this morning, when I was in church, a woman I barely know came up to me, gave me a kiss on my cheek, and said, “I know you’ll be fine.”  Again, I had to blink back tears.  —  Whether you’re dealing with ADD, cancer, the loss of a job, or just a bad day, keep in mind that none of us has to be alone.  Open up, and you’ll find company.

1. Always remember this: you really, truly are a much better person than you think you are.
2. Scheduling is vital, even in matters where it seems unimportant.  For example, one of THE BEST ways to improve your sex life, if you have ADD, it to schedule love-making into your week.  It is both romantic—because anticipation is arousing—and effective, because you actually will make love instead of just thinking about it!
3. I will not listen to people who burst my bubble because they are always negative.  But I will listen to people who I know have my best interests at heart even if they burst my bubble.
4. Every day, EYES:  Exercise, Yoga or meditation, Eat right, and Sleep enough.  How much sleep is enough?  Enough so that you wake up without an alarm clock.
5. Your greatest asset is also your worst enemy.  It’s your imagination.  Think about that and you’ll understand.  Then, try bringing your imagination under control.
6. Before you double the recipe, count the guests.
7. Never worry alone.
8. Don’t worry about being perfectly organized.  Leave that for the people who have attention surplus disorder.  Make it your purpose to get well enough organized that disorganization doesn’t keep your from reaching your goals.
9. Get a pet.  You need frequent doses of positive contact.
10. Try to do one thing at a time.  Multi-tasking is a dangerous myth.  On the other hand, you don’t mow a lawn one blade of grass at a time.  Learn how to leverage your time and energy.

Find out how to thrive in your relationship at our blog and new forum…just go to www.adhdmarriage.com – we welcome your questions and comments!

It is interesting that brains scans of addicts suggest that they have reduced activity in the prefrontal cortex.  People with ADHD also show reduced activity in the prefrontal cortex. 

This is the part of the brain that controls rational thoughts that can override impulses.  It is unclear whether addiction causes this reduced activity or whether reduced activity, such as you see with ADHD, helps lead to addiction due to low impulse control.  In any event, we do know that rates of addiction are significantly higher for those with ADHD than for those without.

Though addiction commonly refers to substance abuse or behavioral addictions like sex and gambling, there are other kinds of non-traditional pseudo-addictions that you might consider “treating” if you have ADD.

• Some adults with ADD cannot let go of their sense of unworthiness, behaving as if they were addicted to feeling shame, guilt and unworthiness.
• Some adults with ADD are addicted to conflict.  Wherever they go, they instigate an argument.  They have insight into the problem, but they can’t stop doing it – as if they are addicted to the negative feelings associated with interpersonal conflict.
• Some adults with ADD can’t stop procrastinating.  No matter how many systems they put into place, they find themselves getting into a frenzy to do things at the last minute.  They seem addicted to the pain of the last minute crisis.

For all of these addictions, I ask you to consider these ideas.  The first is the power of connection.  Human connection, in the form of friendships, memberships, involvement in relationships and groups where you are deeply valued and understood are critical for the person who is trying to overcome an addiction of any kind.  Fellowship is the best and safest “drug” we have.

Medications can also help.  We have come a long way in our ability to prescribe medications that treat the subtle kinds of desperation, depression and anxiety that can lead to self-medication. 

Exercise can help a great deal – it’s one of the best tonics we have for the mind and soul.  Aerobic exercise stimulates the production of various chemicals in the brain providing both sensations of pleasure in the brain and increasing focus.  Nutritional interventions, such as omega-3 fatty acids help stabilize moods.

I have seen 12-step programs, such as the one used by Alcoholics Anonymous, used with great effect, even for those who are dealing with the less-traditional ADD behaviors that seem like addictions.  These programs are not for everybody, but I urge people to think twice before they dismiss a 12-step program.  Whether a person suffers from a true addiction – to alcohol, other drugs, food, sex, gambling, shopping, work, exercise or whatever – or behaves as if he were addicted to some of the negative feelings created by symptoms of ADD, he may find that a 12-step program allows him to let go of whatever it is he has been unable to let go of so far.