Wild Child

How can you help the ADD child in your life?Attention deficit disorder (ADD) is one of the most discussed yet least understood childhood disorders today. Here is a book that delivers the answers people are looking for!Wild Child explains the symptoms, thinking patterns, and behavior of children and adolescents with ADD in terms that are understandable by parents and grandparents, yet relevant to the professionals who deal with these children. It outlines specific strategies that you can use to cope with the vast array of behavior, hyperactivity, and inattention problems experienced by children with ADD. The concepts outlined in Wild Child will show you how to bond more closely with children who tend to alienate them, and help children feel better about themselves, aiding them in their quest to master their specific challenges. Because this book is written from the inside, explaining what the symptoms feel like from the perspective of someone with ADD as well as from the perspective of someone with an ADD child, readers will easily identify with the author.This valuable book will help you and the ADD child in your life by helping you to: - build your personal confidence in dealing with ADD children and teens through knowledge and understanding - deal with specific problems in your family or patients - build esteem and sound emotional infrastructures in ADD children and empower them to take control of their lives Wild Child features: - tables and motivational charts that illustrate how to work with an ADD child - checklists that adults can use if the suggested interventions fail with a particular child ADD is truly a hidden disability, and the children suffering with it are usually labeled wild, crazy, or stupid. This, of course, leads to low self-esteem and underachievement, but Wild Child stresses that new learning can and does take place when proper motivators are applied. This book provides concrete advice regarding what those motivators are and how and when to use them. Teaching adults to empower the children in their care is an important part of Wild Child. Without appropriate intervention, children with ADD frequently end up chemically addicted or in trouble with the law. This book can help prevent these things from occurring. This is a valuable resource for everyone who knows a child with ADD.

Don Mordasini

Contents
* Foreword * Special Acknowledgments * Introduction * PART I: DEVELOPING UNDERSTANDING * Chapter 1. My Struggle As a Parent * Chapter 2. What My Personal Experience Has Taught Me * Parental Rigidness * Cause-Effect Behavior * Emotional Enmeshment * Loss of Self Esteem * A Sense of Perspective/New Learning * The Power Struggle * Chapter 3. Attention Deficit Disorder from the Inside Out * What is Attention Deficit (Hyperactivity) Disorder? * I Do Not Remember! * Inattentiveness * Hypersensitivity * Hyperactivity (ADHD Trait) * Impulsiveness (ADHD Trait) * Peer Relationships * Some Frequently Asked Questions * Rejected Parents * A Prescription from the Horse's Mouth * Chapter 4. Your Child Can Change: Teaching Your Child New Behavior * Developing a Plan for Your Child * Planning Helps the Parent * Five Basic Rules * Chapter 5. Charting the Course to a New Life: Motivating Your Child to Change His or Her Behavior * A Few Comments * Another Look at ADD * Verbal Encouragement * Nonverbal Encouragement * Indirect Verbal Encouragement * Tangible Rewards and Privileges * Point Charts * Negative Incentives * Phasing Out the Reward System * Moving Forward * Chapter 6. Changing What Happens Inside: Empowering Your Child * Understand That Your Child Needs Special Help * Invite Your Child into the Decision- Making Process * Negotiate with Your Child * Allow Your Child to Make Choices * Praise Liberally * Use Medication Appropriately * Do Not Interact with Your Child or Make Decisions When You are Emotionally Upset * Chapter 7. Lessons for Parents * Self-Check * Modeling * Contact * Awareness * Choice (Empowerment) * Reinforcement * Putting it All Together * Chapter 8. New Perspectives on ADD Medication * Chapter 9. Putting it All Together * A Summary of the Steps * Applying the Behavior Techniques We Discussed * Discussions with Your Child * Self-Monitoring, Choice, and Reinforcement for the Parent * Use of Point Charts * What Ages Should My Child Be to Benefit from the Information Summarized? * PART II: SPECIFIC PROBLEM BEHAVIORS (WORKING WITH CHILDREN AGES FOUR TO FOURTEEN) * Chapter 10. Taming Aggression * Parent's Composure Review * Time Out Review * Problems Dealing with Aggressive Behavior * Conduct Disorder * Chapter 11. Temper Tantrums * Why Do Children Throw Temper Tantrums? * Distinguishing Between Temper Tantrums and Disrespect * Stopping Temper Tantrums * Chapter 12. Teaching Respect * Improving My Behavior List * Parent's Composure Review * Chapter 13. Time for Chores * How to Motivate Your Child to Do Chores * Suppose This Does Not Work * Examples of Typical Problems I Have Encountered * Chapter 14. How to Help Your Child with School * Problems with Focusing * Hyperactivity and Impulsiveness * Additional Notes * A Final Word * Chapter 15. Easing the Homework Struggle * Helping Your Child * Communicating with Your Child's Teacher * Interventions * Chapter 16. Peers and Socialization * Relationship Problems * A Social Skills Model * Coaching Your Child * Entering the Social Arena * Chapter 17. Daily Challenges and How to Meet Them * Four Basic Rule * Additional Problem Behaviors * Going Forward * PART III: PROBLEMS OF ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS * Chapter 18. The Challenging Teen Years * Case Examples * Chapter 19. What Parents Need to Know * Parenting Styles * Parental Pitfalls * Parental Resources * A Few Notes * Chapter 20. Adolescent Anger * Conduct Disorder * Oppositional Defiant Disorder * Preventive Parenting * Chapter 21. School Problems * Guidelines for Parents Whose Teenagers Have Difficulty in School * Typical Problems * Chapter 22. Winning with Drug and Alcoh