Table of Contents

Introduction: A Guiding Philosophy for Parents of Children with ADHD
I. Understanding ADHD
1. What Is Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder?
2. "What's Really Wrong with My Child?": Poor Self-Control
3. What Causes ADHD?
4. What to Expect: The Nature of the Disorder
5. The Family Context of a Child with ADHD
II. Taking Charge: How to Be a Successful Executive Parent
6. Deciding to Have Your Child Evaluated for ADHD
7. Preparing for the Evaluation
8. Coping with the Diagnosis of ADHD
9. Fourteen Guiding Principles for Raising a Child with ADHD
10. Just for Parents: How to Take Care of Yourself
III. Managing Life with ADHD: How to Cope at Home and at School
11. Eight Steps to Better Behavior
12. Taking Charge at Home: The Art of Problem Solving
13. How to Help Your Child with Peer Problems
14. Getting through Adolescence, with Arthur L. Robin, PhD
15. Off to School on the Right Foot: Managing Your Child's Education, with Linda J. Pfiffner, PhD
16. Enhancing Education at School and at Home: Methods for Success from Kindergarten through Grade 12, with Linda J. Pfiffner, PhD
17. Keeping School Performance in Perspective
IV. Medications for ADHD
18. The Approved Effective Medicines: Stimulants and Nonstimulants
19. Other Medicines: Antidepressants and Antihypertensives
Support Services for Parents
Suggested Reading and Videos

About the Author

Russell A. Barkley, PhD, ABPP, ABCN, is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Virginia Treatment Center for Children and Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine. Dr. Barkley has worked with children, adolescents, and families since the 1970s and is the author of numerous bestselling books for both professionals and the public, including Taking Charge of ADHD and Your Defiant Child. He has also published six assessment scales and more than 280 scientific articles and book chapters on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, executive functioning, and childhood defiance, and is editor of the newsletter The ADHD Report. A frequent conference presenter and speaker who is widely cited in the national media, Dr. Barkley is past president of the Section on Clinical Child Psychology (the former Division 12) of the American Psychological Association (APA), and of the International Society for Research in Child and Adolescent Psychopathology. He is a recipient of awards from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the APA, among other honors. His website is www.russellbarkley.org.

Reviews

"Dr. Barkley is a foremost researcher who has devoted his career to teaching and helping those with ADHD. This book brings together in one place everything that parents need to cope with daily challenges and make important decisions about their child's care. Dr. Barkley's knowledge, brilliance, and dedication shine through on every page like a beacon of hope."--Edward M. Hallowell, MD, coauthor of Driven to Distraction
"An invaluable, comprehensive resource. The book arms you with the most current scientific facts, including a clear explanation of executive functions and their role in ADHD. Dr. Barkley has a gift for providing practical, easy-to-understand guidance that empowers you to become an effective advocate for your child."--Chris A. Zeigler Dendy, MS, parent and author of Teaching Teens with ADD, ADHD & Executive Function Deficits

"Dr. Barkley helps parents make order out of chaos and problem-solve more effectively. That's what I love about this book! Taking Charge treats parents respectfully and intelligently. You'll go back repeatedly--maybe even every day--to the sections on becoming an executive parent and managing life with ADHD."--Mary Fowler, parent and author of Maybe You Know My Kid