Six of the Best ADHD Books for Parents
ADHD books for Parents can come in handy, especially at the start of your journey when trying to gather resources and facts.
Parenting a child with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) can be extremely challenging.
Impulsivity, distractibility, attention, focus and even explosivity are all symptoms that can be genuinely hard to manage and live with on a daily basis. As a parent of two girls who are opposites with these symptoms – one hyperactive and one inattentive, I often need to remind myself to find my calm side and approach parenting from that starting point.
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Many medical experts have opinions on how to deal with children who have this diagnosis. Not surprisingly, they often offer very different advice depending on their knowledge of the subject or in their exposure to children with ADHD. This can make it even more challenging to ferret out which pieces of information make the most sense and apply to your particular child, because like a lot of special needs diagnoses, kids with ADD and ADHD share some common symptoms and behaviours, but each one is different.
Because every single child with ADHD is unique, you need Parents who have children living with ADHD sometimes find it challenging to understand and take care of their children. They might take a long time to learn what works with their child and what does not. That is why sometimes the opinion of experts matters. In this article, we have sampled some of the best books for parents of ADHD children to help you understand how to bring up your child the right way.
Table of Contents
Educational ADHD Books for Parents
1. Parenting Children with ADHD by Vincent J. Monastra, PhD
Vincent has a wealth of experience dealing with ADHD children and in this book, he divulges different coping strategies for both parents and kids. With over 15,000 patients treated through Vincent’s hand, the advice he offers in this book will be helpful for parents who have kids with ADHD. The book has been written in a very easy to read and understand tone.
2. The ADHD Advantage by Dale Archer, M.D
What if ADHD is your superpower?
A medical doctor by profession and someone with ADHD himself, Archer offers practical insights into how to deal with ADHD. Gone are the days when a diagnosis of this condition used to spell lifelong suffering for the patient. In this book, you will be inspired to read stories of influential people who went ahead to succeed in life and businesses while living with ADHD.
Archer has successfully managed to lead a normal, fulfilling and successful life without resorting to the use of medicine to treat his condition. It will be a very inspirational read.
3. The Misunderstood Child, by Larry B. Silver, M.D
Larry is a clinical professor of psychiatry and in his long career, he has had a lot of encounters with children who have ADHD, dyslexia, and SPD. In this book, he talks about the awareness kids with learning disabilities and neurological have about their condition and how it makes them feel like outcasts. They try to look for ways to fit with others normally and it is often a very difficult task for them. It is frequently a struggle for them to express themselves and relay the thoughts in their heads. This book helps parents understand their children well and help them lead a normal life both at school and at home.
4. Mindful Parenting for ADHD, by Mark Bertin
I had one book on this list originally that was controversial, but the language that expert uses is all about healing ADHD and that language doesn’t work for me. So, I removed it. I don’t think HEALING talk is actually helpful or person first language.
If you parent a child with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), you know all about the day to day challenges. Kids with ADHD are inattentive, hyperactive, and impulsive. Parenting all of that can be exhausting, frustrating, confusing and stressful. Believe me, I know. As a parent, you become easily dysregulated when they are so chaotically energetic all the time, or completely unfocused. This is where ADHD books for parents can come in handy.
In this Mindful Parenting book, a developmental pediatrician presents a proven-effective program for helping both you and your child with ADHD stay cool and collected while remaining flexible, resilient, and mindful.
Bertin addresses the various symptoms of ADHD using non-technical language and a user-friendly format. In addition, he offers guidelines to help you assess your child’s strengths and weaknesses, create plans for building skills and managing specific challenges. If any of his advice lowers stress levels, then this is super useful.
5. Taking Charge of ADHD, by Russell A. Barkley, PhD
Besides giving you information on ADHD and helping you learn about symptoms and how diagnosis happens, this book also offers tested strategies on how to manage behaviours of kids with ADHD. There are practical tips here and guidance, as well as encouragement. All of this is broken down into techniques intended to help promote better behaviour. Every parent wants their child to to excel in their social and academic life, Taking Charge of ADHD will help.
6. Flipping ADHD on Its Head, by Jim Poole
In Flipping ADHD on Its Head, Dr. Jim Poole introduces and explores a holistic, integrated, and empowering approach to identifying and promoting the strengths of ADHD children. Rather than framing ADHD as a disability, Dr. Jim challenges the current stigma and encourages readers to see it as a gift, even if it comes with a set of real challenges.
How to Get ADHD Books for Parents
If your child has ADHD and you are looking for resources and support, start by reading any of these six books. I’d start with the Barkley book first because Barkley is a renowned expert in this area.
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