The ADD Answer: How to Help Your Child Now--With Questionnaires and Family-Centered Action Plans to Meet Your Child's Specific Needs

Rating:
Summary: Excellent and thorough.
Review: "The ADD Answer" touches on all aspects of ADD and the treatment process. My child has severe ADD and I have already incorporated many aspects of treatment into his daily life i.e. diet, allergy avoidance, prescription drugs, even a healer and this book taught me even more. I only wish there were a Frank Lawlis in the city where I live.



Rating:
Summary: Appallingly ill-informed
Review: Be very careful about this book. Dr. Lawlis is not a physician, nor does he provide scientifically accurate information. For example, he says, "There are at least two well-documented ways to determine if your child has a neurologically based disorder of ADD or ADHD: a spectrogram or an EEG can identify specific patterns in certain parts of your child's brain."

But according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (as reported in the medical journal Pediatrics in May 2000), "Brain imaging studies and electroencephalography do not show reliable differences between children with ADHD and controls. Although some studies have demonstrated variation in brain morphology comparing children with and without ADHD, these findings do not discriminate reliably between children with and without this condition. In other words, although group means may differ significantly, the overlap in findings among children with and without ADHD creates high rates of false-positives and false-negatives."

Other controlled studies have also failed to establish reliable correlations between diet and symptoms of ADHD.

Both Dr. Phil and Dr. Lawlis may sound inspiring on TV, but don't trust your children's well-being to this kind of pseudo-science. Insist on a thorough evaluation from a genuinely qualified physician before either putting your child on or taking him off medication.




Rating:
Summary: Answers from an Expert on ADD/ADHD
Review: Dr. Lawlis, drawing on his years of research and his first hand clinical experience, in a clear, concise, and easy to understand format explains what ADD/ADHD truly is, what scientific methods can be employed to diagnosis it for certain, and what options are available for non-drug based treatments including EEG Neurofeedback, Detox Diet, Healing Sounds, family therapy and so on. We desperately need more experts in the filed of ADD/ADHD come forward and tell it like it is, drugs do not cure or remedy ADD/ADHD. Medication at best mask the symptoms few hours at a time at a very high cost, in every respect and give parents a false sense of security believing they are doing all they can, which is not true. What is true, as Dr. Lawlis points out; you just postpone the problem until the child is older since ADD symptoms will continue into adulthood.

Ali Hashemian, Ph.D.

Rating:
Summary: It's about time
Review: I have been saying this for years. It is common sense, and I have seen it first hand with my own child and with friends children. I am glad that someone has finally written about it.


Rating:
Summary: There are 2 books in my parenting library
Review: I liked the ADD Answer. It's seems like good common sense information and likely to be helpful working with the challenges that come with ADD (I am a therapist and always looking for resources for the parents I work with). I also like, as much if not more so, a book titled "Systemic Parenting: An Exploration of the Parenting Big Picture" - written by a family therapist named Mark Gaskill. These professionals are cut from the same mold! Both present common sense and helpful information for parents really wanting to affect positive changes. I recommend both for the parents I work with. Both are complimentary of the other.

Rating:
Summary: Good Information
Review: I liked this book. I am a Psychologist that has been treating ADHD/ADD for years. It is the trend in America to use drugs as a mainline form of treatment. In my practice I use Neurofeedback/Biofeedback in a very effective manner that has helped many children reduce or completely eliminate the need for drug therapy. It is important to realize that treating this type of problem requires a concerted effort by the family and that several modes of treatment including family therapy, good eating habits, and individual therapy are needed.



Rating:
Summary: A good parenting resource
Review: I was hesitant to consider this book at first. I am not a Dr. Phil fan and usually find his work over simplified and trite. I was concerned about the relationship between Phil and Dr. Lawlis. So when I my son was diagnosed with ADD I looked elsewhere at first. I only purchased this book after my son's school counselor suggested it. I must say, I was pleasantly surprised and am finding this book very helpful. We are seeing changes daily. One word of advice - purchase this book along with a book that explores the parenting issues in greater depth. I'm not certain that the vast majority of parents out there will have the experience to implement the action plans to the degree they must in order to be effective (we certainly were not). Consider reading the ADD Answer along with a book titled "Systemic Parenting: An Exploration of the Parenting Big Picture" - written by a family therapist named Mark Gaskill. The combination of these books was a magical intervention as far are we are concerned.

Rating:
Summary: Lacks Scientific Evidence
Review: The author's claims that EEG findings are diagnostic for ADHD are not so. Show us the research.

Rating:
Summary: Who knew caffeine could excaserbate ADD
Review: Though the book contains info found in other books on add, I was able to learn about how caffeine can excaserbate add. So my son is totally off caffeine-laden beverages and products. Then I did too. I love coffee. I love the smell, the ritual of grinding and brewing...I love everthing about it. About 3 months ago, I found that right after drinking it I would feel sick to my stomach. So, I gradually cut that out and started dring soyfee soy coffee. I would put just a smidge of half and half it it. It was a wonderful caffeine-free substitute for coffee; I would only have maybe one cup in the morning. I felt it was more of a gentle way to wake up. I have not had any caffeine since. You can find it online searching under soy coffee.

I never thought I would ever give up coffee much less caffeine but here I am ... FREE! The most noticable difference I feel is sleeping better. I am surprised since at the time I gave up caffeine I was only drinking one cup of tea per day. But I am definately sleeping better. Perhaps it is a combination of being de-toxed from all the crap I was eating. All I can say, is that it is definately worth it.


Rating:
Summary: Blah
Review: Wow, no only does this book give false information, it has an underlying sentiment that somehow people with ADHD are bringing it on themselves. Setting some goals, eat your veggies, got to be early and everything will be fine. It's about as usefull as telling someone who is depressed to 'cheer up'!

If your into alternative therapy or so desperate and willing to drop money at any technique that hasn't been proven- buy this book. However, if your interested in the REAL treatments of ADHD, try a doctor that specializes in it. A doctor can suggest real treatments such as cognative and behavior modification therapy and medication.

Ah, and speaking about medication, Ritalin is a STIMULANT. It doesn't turn kids into ZOMBIES. A little logic would prove that to be counterproductive. Being zonked out would make the kid even LESS attentive.