Taking Charge of ADHD, Third Edition: The Complete, Authoritative Guide for Parents

31 reviews for Taking Charge of ADHD, Third Edition: The Complete, Authoritative Guide for Parents

1. Dave

   Rated 5 out of 5

   April 11, 2024

   Not just a book but an intellectual discussion

   This book is like discussing with an old friend about mathematics. Whenever I come back to this book, I learn something new and I understand math a li...More

   This book is like discussing with an old friend about mathematics. Whenever I come back to this book, I learn something new and I understand math a little better. This book will teach you advanced concepts and theorems. It does not have the wording of an average textbook. It feels like you are having an intellectual debate. Trivia: Albert Einstein read the first edition of this book.

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   cristiane

   Rated 5 out of 5

   November 3, 2019

   this book gave me more strength to keep helping my kids!

   All parents must have, this book gave me more strength to keep helping my kids ,as mother of 2 kids with ADHD, I really feel this book gave me directi...More

   All parents must have, this book gave me more strength to keep helping my kids ,as mother of 2 kids with ADHD, I really feel this book gave me directions ,and it's amazing how you started to understand your child the way you never did,it open your mind, good luck to all of us!

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   Deborah Harrison

   Rated 4 out of 5

   August 19, 2019

   Invaluable context, mixed advice

   This book was a lifeline. The framework for understanding ADHD has proven indispensable. I disagree with some of his suggestions for helping kids thri...More

   This book was a lifeline. The framework for understanding ADHD has proven indispensable. I disagree with some of his suggestions for helping kids thrive, but it wasn’t difficult for me to tell between advice I’ll incorporate and advice I’ll ignore.

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   Sally311

   Rated 5 out of 5

   January 3, 2019

   This is a helpful book!

   Helpful book for understanding ADHD and helping kids at home and school. I use it with families in my therapy practice. It is my favorite so far of al...More

   Helpful book for understanding ADHD and helping kids at home and school. I use it with families in my therapy practice. It is my favorite so far of all the ADHD books I have reviewed.

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   Ryan

   Rated 5 out of 5

   October 17, 2018

   A parents adhd bible

   This book is like reading a textbook on adhd. Our doctor recommended it. For me it was like reading a suspense novel. I couldn’t put it down relati...More

   This book is like reading a textbook on adhd. Our doctor recommended it. For me it was like reading a suspense novel. I couldn’t put it down relating page after page to my kid. I wanted to see what to expect next but all in I appreciate the breakdown of scientific research on adhd

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   Charlene Brown

   Rated 5 out of 5

   October 4, 2018

   Comprehensive and excellent help!!

   Most recent, detailed and scientific information on ADHD - it is compassionate, practical, and super usable to help a parent understand the complexiti...More

   Most recent, detailed and scientific information on ADHD - it is compassionate, practical, and super usable to help a parent understand the complexities of ADHD - what it is and what it is NOT - it's my new go-to for working with my kids and some of the difficult road ahead. Also shows the positives and so many gifts that come with ADHD. One of my top 3 books on this topic.

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   Bob

   Rated 5 out of 5

   August 28, 2018

   Read this book if your Child is diagnosed ADHD

   If your child has ADHD, you need to read this book! It is big and sort of "text bookish", but it has information I didn't know and we've been dealing...More

   If your child has ADHD, you need to read this book! It is big and sort of "text bookish", but it has information I didn't know and we've been dealing with our 14 year old daughter for 8 years without this workable knowledge. Magic 1-2-3 helped when she was young, and a couple other books helped with ADHD, but this book identifies the scientific discoveries of ADHD and explains them. It is also empathetic to all those parents dealing with non-ADHD kids who "think" they have the answer to how to handle the child.
   Here is what you do: Read 20 minutes in the book every day... Every day... before you know it, you have completed the book. You receive a consistent flow of information and I suggest highlighting all the key information points that will help. It is helping us help our daughter be successful in life.

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   galaxyJ

   Rated 5 out of 5

   August 17, 2018

   Thanks! This book has great ideas and info!

   My family has struggled with ADHD for along time, especially my brother and father. My child has NF1 and that made her even more likely to experience ...More

   My family has struggled with ADHD for along time, especially my brother and father. My child has NF1 and that made her even more likely to experience a learning disability. My mother has worked with my brother through out all of his education. Many of the tools that were available to him in elementary school in the 90's are still being used because they were effective! This book is wealth of information for any parent, whether your child is struggling with ADHD or not. I'm thankful I was recommend this fantastic resource for ourselves and our daughter!

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   Alisha

   Rated 5 out of 5

   July 14, 2018

   I highly recommend this book!

   Perhaps one of the BEST books I have read about ADHD! As parent of child with ADHD, this book has been invaluable and has provided me with much more i...More

   Perhaps one of the BEST books I have read about ADHD! As parent of child with ADHD, this book has been invaluable and has provided me with much more information than I could have ever imagined to getting out of a book. At some points, it may be a bit difficult to read, but the author makes sure to reference previous points, if related, and he also lists a number of other resources throughout the book (and towards the back of the book)! I highly recommend this book to any frustrated ADHD parent, and others who simply want to know more about it!

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   Kelly

   Rated 5 out of 5

   June 13, 2018

   Great book

   Wish I had found this book a few years ago. Very clinical/factual discussion on what ADHD is and what it is not. Very blunt about what it means to l...More

   Wish I had found this book a few years ago. Very clinical/factual discussion on what ADHD is and what it is not. Very blunt about what it means to live with ADHD and the reality of parenting a child with it. Barkley lays out the facts the says “okay, here are things you can do”. Every teacher needs to hear this kind of discussion- not just Spec Ed/Case Managers

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   Sarah

   Rated 5 out of 5

   May 30, 2018

   Invaluable resource on ADHD - #1 Must Read to learn more about this disorder

   This is the single most helpful book on ADHD I have read thus far. It contains a lot of up to date information about the disorder that you can either ...More

   This is the single most helpful book on ADHD I have read thus far. It contains a lot of up to date information about the disorder that you can either read or skim. I am a mental health professional and learned a lot from the newer information in this book that has helped me with my clients and my own son. The most important thing for people to understand about ADHD is that it is a disability of the executive functioning of the brain (and everything that entails). The book explains exactly what that means and gives helpful examples to illustrate the points. It talks about research and explains what the findings mean in layman's terms. It validates parents' struggles and encourages them to stand up for their child who has an actual disability. It explains why kids with ADHD often act out and get into trouble, why this affects their self-esteem and why they are so easily frustrated. All those things you've been struggling with your child are likely related to his/her ADHD. It even goes into discipline, how to work with your school, with your family members, and how to take care of yourself in the process. Everyone you interacts with people with ADHD need this resource.

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   Greg & Kristin Hyder

   Rated 5 out of 5

   May 8, 2018

   Great book with lots of info

   Great book with lots of info. I have been reading it since my son was recently diagnosed with adhd. And I have tried some of the suggestions in the bo...More

   Great book with lots of info. I have been reading it since my son was recently diagnosed with adhd. And I have tried some of the suggestions in the book and they have worked great. This is a great book!

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   WC

   Rated 5 out of 5

   September 17, 2017

   Empowering!!

   This is an exceptionally empowering read on ADHD! I have a far better understanding of the condition, the challenges, and how to help my child succee...More

   This is an exceptionally empowering read on ADHD! I have a far better understanding of the condition, the challenges, and how to help my child succeed. Dr. Barkley clearly lays out positive methods for life long success and a stable family. A must read for any parent with children who have ADHD.

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   photo papa

   Rated 5 out of 5

   May 26, 2017

   Best book I have read so far on this subject.

   I have read 3 other books on this subject and 2 work books. This book puts it all together in a very accessible way. I am actually in the process of ...More

   I have read 3 other books on this subject and 2 work books. This book puts it all together in a very accessible way. I am actually in the process of re-reading certain parts. It is very helpful to me to get my head around different parental strategies. I highly recommend this book.

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   tomyris

   Rated 5 out of 5

   January 26, 2017

   Don't miss this book if you're a parent who feels helpless

   I'm writing this review because when I bought this book, the first reviews showing on my Amazon page were quite negative, and that troubled me because...More

   I'm writing this review because when I bought this book, the first reviews showing on my Amazon page were quite negative, and that troubled me because this book has been a game changer and a lifeline for me and my seriously ADHD teenage daughter, in a way that no other single book has been. That's mostly because, unlike other books I've read, Barkley addresses directly and proposes clear, practical, simple remedies for dealing with the incessant and destructive parent/child behavioral conflicts that have often dominated our life at home -- and that other recommendations had done very little to improve. This book deals head on with that "elephant in the room", something that was so obviously "wrong" in our lives, but that I couldn't understand because I'd done all the "right" things, including medication, behavioral therapy, academic support and trying to be a loving, understanding and firm parent. Anyone who's been there will understand, and this is the one book that really helped. Also, in defense of Barkley's serious and informed writing style, this is, of course, very serious material. For something as profound as a young person's mental health and future, it's important to know the scientific bases for the author's analysis and recommendations. Yes, there are more conversationally written books out there on this subject, which may be an easier read for some, but there's nothing abstruse or hard to read about this one, and its author imparts a lifetime's clinical and academic experience. There are many observations and surprising insights throughout the text (for example, research shows that non-intrusive background music can help ADHD kids focus on an academic task whereas complete silence or overly stimulating music is less likely to help). This book has a program for behavioral intervention at home that can be modified for a teenager, and gives simple, clear guidance on the difficult issue of how much and in what way it may be necessary to involve yourself with your teenager's school, while at the same time allowing the teen the self determination that's critical to her growth at this age. It's more densely written than some, and that's as one would expect from a worldwide leader in the field of ADHD research. I've found other books helpful on the interface of parent and ADHD teen (e.g. "Ready for Takeoff" (Maitland & Quinn), and my daughter has "The ADHD workbook for teens" (Lara Honos-Webb) which has helped her to voice her frustrations and fears, and to accept and take charge. However, I haven't yet seen any book as comprehensive and as helpful as this, and I'd urge any parent with a serious situation to read it.

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   Peter Anthony Scolaro

   Rated 5 out of 5

   November 14, 2016

   Easily understood.

   Very insightful and helpful in understanding what we are dealing with. The book facilitates comparison with symptoms and behaviors in real cases and t...More

   Very insightful and helpful in understanding what we are dealing with. The book facilitates comparison with symptoms and behaviors in real cases and then provides information as to what is and what is not ADHD related, what parts are internally driven and what parts are environmentally driven. Suggestions for potentially helpful tools and programs are given. An overview of medications and applicability is provided. Easily understood.

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   hanalola

   Rated 5 out of 5

   October 24, 2016

   I would say this is by far the best book out there for both clinicians and parents for ...

   As a pediatrician, I would say this is by far the best book out there for both clinicians and parents for understanding and managing ADHD. It truly ma...More

   As a pediatrician, I would say this is by far the best book out there for both clinicians and parents for understanding and managing ADHD. It truly makes you appreciate the person with ADHD. My advice when you get angry and frustrated with your child, remember--"Hate ADHD, not the person."

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   Rachel

   Rated 5 out of 5

   September 26, 2016

   Good, thorough read

   Very thorough, wordy book that really goes through everything there is to know about raising kids with ADHD. I found it to be both educational, and un...More

   Very thorough, wordy book that really goes through everything there is to know about raising kids with ADHD. I found it to be both educational, and understanding of the challenges inherent in raising ADHD kids. At times I thought "how does the author know exactly how I feel?". I also like the scientific research he provides into the underpinnings of ADHD. All in all a great guidebook.

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   B Mendes

   Rated 5 out of 5

   August 23, 2016

   Great read for parents new to the diagnosis

   This book was the first one that I turn to when I found out my son was diagnosed with ADHD. I've only been to a few chapter so far but this book has h...More

   This book was the first one that I turn to when I found out my son was diagnosed with ADHD. I've only been to a few chapter so far but this book has help me out dramatically with what's actually going on in his head to how we can better communicate with him. I specially like the medications section in the end of the book. It has helped me understand what the doctors are talking about when we talk about different medications.

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   Amazon Customer

   Rated 5 out of 5

   July 31, 2016

   Highly recommended!!!!!!

   This is an amazing book!! My son is 5 and very very hyper and at times can be very difficult. I've always suspected he had ADHD because of his non-sto...More

   This is an amazing book!! My son is 5 and very very hyper and at times can be very difficult. I've always suspected he had ADHD because of his non-stop extremely high energy. I can relate to pretty much everything in this book. I have used a few of the ideas in working with my son and there has already been improvement. I used to get so frustrated to the point I would cry and that's not how I want my relationship to be with my son. This book was recommended by his pediatrician and I'm so glad I bought it!

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   Amazon Customer

   Rated 4 out of 5

   April 19, 2016

   Must read book!!

   I really enjoy the knowledge that this book has to offer to me as a parent. It teaches me how children were diagnosed way back from different decades ...More

   I really enjoy the knowledge that this book has to offer to me as a parent. It teaches me how children were diagnosed way back from different decades to now. It's a good book especially for parents who want to better understand their child with this illness. I learn A lot from it and I never want to put it down. It is a must read book. It was recommended to me from my own children's doctor.

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   DLyon

   Rated 5 out of 5

   August 4, 2015

   I definitely recommend this for any parent of an ADHD child

   I wish I read this book when my children were first diagnosed with ADHD. It is confirming a lot of what I have observed in them but didn't necessaril...More

   I wish I read this book when my children were first diagnosed with ADHD. It is confirming a lot of what I have observed in them but didn't necessarily understand was related to their ADHD. I feel it is helping me to be more patient and less frustrated with my children's behaviors. I definitely recommend this for any parent of an ADHD child. It is a bit of a "heavy" read with a lot of research based information but nevertheless very helpful. I could see where it might be difficult for an ADHD parent to get through it - perhaps a condensed version would be helpful for those parents, especially since "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

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   J. Rice

   Rated 5 out of 5

   June 19, 2015

   Excellent resource for frustrated parents and educators

   This is a very enlightening book and even before I'd finished the first chapter, I felt like I'd been given so much insight into my son and his challe...More

   This is a very enlightening book and even before I'd finished the first chapter, I felt like I'd been given so much insight into my son and his challenges. I am getting so much out of this book that I bought a copy for my husband, so we can each read at our convenience (and highlight and underline, etc in our own copies) I think this book should be required reading for any professionals that deal with children on a regular basis. The misconceptions it clears up could be life changing for many individuals.

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   Marge R

   Rated 5 out of 5

   April 21, 2014

   Great Help

   We are having problems understanding our ADHD child. This book (as well as Late Lost and Unprepared: A Patrent's Guide) was recommended to us by the ...More

   We are having problems understanding our ADHD child. This book (as well as Late Lost and Unprepared: A Patrent's Guide) was recommended to us by the neuropsychologist who administered the evaluation that diagnosed ADHD in our son. Dr. Barkley is the premier expert on ADHD and has strong feelings about Executive functioning problems suffered by these children. Once that is understood, dealing with ADHD is much more manageable. I recommend reading both books asap!

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   Mark B

   Rated 5 out of 5

   April 16, 2014

   Have a child with ADHD? Read this every 6 months

   If you have a child diagnosed with ADHD, I recommend reading and re-reading this book often. It is so jam packed with information it is hard to soak ...More

   If you have a child diagnosed with ADHD, I recommend reading and re-reading this book often. It is so jam packed with information it is hard to soak it all in at once. The advice is so critical to the development of your child, it warrants constant refreshing. All of the advice is backed by solid research and conveyed in a very straighforward manner. Proven research and techniques that will change the course of your child's life.

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   Michael Cawley

   Rated 5 out of 5

   March 4, 2014

   Excellent book for parents and professionals.

   As a licensed psychologist and parent, I give this book my highest recommendation. Dr. Barkley clearly know and understands children with ADHD. This b...More

   As a licensed psychologist and parent, I give this book my highest recommendation. Dr. Barkley clearly know and understands children with ADHD. This book is informative, accurate, and practical. If you are beginning to learn about ADHD, this is the book with which to start. I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Barkley and hear him speak on ADHD. He is brilliant, caring and up-to date on ADHD. I routinely suggest this book to parents following psychological evaluations of children with ADHD. As a parent, this book has also been very helpful in parenting my son. Michael J. Cawley III, PhD

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   Mutek01

   Rated 5 out of 5

   January 11, 2014

   Very enlightening, informative, and provides helpful tools/suggestions

   This Author was referred to me by a Penn State Hershey Professor who is in charge of the ADD/ADHD/ODD study my child and I participated in. They refer...More

   This Author was referred to me by a Penn State Hershey Professor who is in charge of the ADD/ADHD/ODD study my child and I participated in. They referred this Author's books to me and suggested that we utilize his work when looking for ways to deal with our child's ADD/ADHD/ODD. This is a great GUIDE... take the time to read it. Implement it and spread the word. Help yourself, help the teachers, help the caregivers and in turn you will help your child!!!

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   Dan Lindsay

   Rated 5 out of 5

   September 18, 2013

   excellent advice

   Dr. Barkley writes an excellent book. He knows the subject, knows how to communicate his knowledge, and is consistently interesting in his presentati...More

   Dr. Barkley writes an excellent book. He knows the subject, knows how to communicate his knowledge, and is consistently interesting in his presentation. ADHD is a difficult and somewhat scary condition, but Dr. Barkley's methods make solid good sense. Anyone dealing with people who have this disorder would gain from reading this book.

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   Michelle Priester

   Rated 5 out of 5

   August 23, 2013

   Grateful

   I am a parent of a child with ADHD and I am very involved in his life and I wanted him to have the best life possible and this book is giving me the i...More

   I am a parent of a child with ADHD and I am very involved in his life and I wanted him to have the best life possible and this book is giving me the insight that I need to help him. Although his ADHD is not bad I still did not want it to get out of control and I love how the book starts with the parent taking responsibility for their role in their child's life so the book made sure the parent knew they are responsible for their actions as well

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   Maryann Driscoll

   Rated 5 out of 5

   June 28, 2013

   Still a superior resource for parents and teachers

   As a parent I have returned to this resource again and again (previous edition). This updated version is worth the investment. As a teacher I have rec...More

   As a parent I have returned to this resource again and again (previous edition). This updated version is worth the investment. As a teacher I have recommended this book to parents and other teachers who have found it very helpful. Appropriate for anyone interested in what ADHD is and what can be done to support a family coping with it. Although there is a section on medication with up-to-date research, the bulk of this book is about behavioral, organizational, educational and family dynamic support. This includes sections for young children through the teen years. Highly recomended!

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   Lisa Camarena

   Rated 5 out of 5

   May 17, 2013

   Great Book

   This book is great and the price was perfect too. I live in a small town where there are no bookstores or any stores that carry any information on ADH...More

   This book is great and the price was perfect too. I live in a small town where there are no bookstores or any stores that carry any information on ADHD. My son was recently diagnosed with ADHD and the psychiatrist reccomended me to get this book.I love it so far and I am glad I purchased it.
   
   Lisa Camarena

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