Dr Hallowell

The following review of Superparenting for ADD appeared in the JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF CHILD &  ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY, VOLUME 49, NUMBER 8 AUGUST 2010 issue 854 http://www.jaacap.org/ 

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.