by Dr. Sharon Saline, forward by Dr. Laura Markham, 2018, Tarcherperigee

One of our grandchildren has been diagnosed with a form of ADHD where he focuses so hard on whatever he is doing that he has difficulty transitioning to another task and he gets very upset. This book provides a lot of information and advice for parents (and grandparents) in how to deal with children with ADHD.

The book contains a lot of practical advice and also how to use outside resources such as pediatricians, school teachers and counselors, etc. to help. The author presumes that these resources are readily available, however, and I wondered as I read the book whether that’s always the case, particularly in underfunded school districts and where family doctors may be in short supply. Also, the coordination of these resources may be difficult, particularly when both parents are working or in the case of a single parent household. I suspect that many of the suggestions provided in the book may not be doable in these situations.

I was particularly impressed with the tone of the book. It emphasized the importance of empathy, patience, and listening to the child. This is not a particularly enjoyable book to read, however. I found that a few pages at a time was the best way to get through it.