Daredevils and Daydreamers

As grandparents that did not know the first thing about ADD, this book has helped us to understand our Grandson and also helped us to understand what our daughter as a single parent has been going through for the last 5 years. The chapter on what the School Systems SHOULD do was very inlightning. We now have a guide to use in talking to Doctors,Teachers and other family members.

I really enjoyed Dr. Ingersoll's book. As an educator who worked primarily in Spec. Ed and encountered ADHD/ADD kids in the regular and special ed classroom settings and a parent of an 11 yr. old with ADD, I particularly appreciated her expanding the very clinical statements of the DSM-IV into very human recognizable examples. As a professional educator and a parent this book worked for me; it was interesting to look at how much our knowledge of ADD and related disorders has grown over the past decade.

Whether this is the first book you will read on ADHD or the hundredth, you will want to own this book. It is an excellent resource you will want to refer to often and share with others. What I like about all of Dr. Ingersoll's books is that they are so easy and enjoyable to read, yet so jam-packed with valuable information.This comprehensive work includes information from her other books, yet is in no way a "rewrite." It contains almost 200 citations of cutting-edge research -- many of which I have circled for future reading.Each chapter begins with a "Then and Now" section to show how far we have come in our understanding of ADHD in the past decade and where we are headed. The book defines ADHD and related learning, emotional and behavioral disorders which so often coexist with it, and discusses how to obtain a comprehensive evaluation. The chapter devoted to medical management makes it clear that medication is recognized as the first line of treatment, and often the only intervention necessary to treat individuals afflicted with ADHD. But, since many people require a multimodal treatment, Dr. Ingersoll also provides a comprehensive discussion of psychotherapy and training approaches, and the treatment of associated problems such as lying, stealing, social interactions, etc. I especially liked her chapters "Bless this House: Holding it Together on the Homefront" and "School Days, School Daze." While the book is geared toward helping children, it presents a wealth of valuable information for adults with ADHD as well.