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ADHD Medication Rules
We may be the most scientifically advanced country in the world regarding identification and medical treatment of ADHD - but a serious medical inconsistency too many simply don't pay enough attention to the meds for paying attention. Both public and professionals regularly overlook essential ADHD treatment elements, important scientific data points that outline more predictable treatment mapping strategies. From superficial diagnosis by appearances, to medication dosage management by cookie cutter strategies, the uninformed use of stimulant medications is too often based upon criteria that vary from whimsy to hearsay. "ADHD Medication Rules" is the only book available that spells out and simplifies those essential medication details for both patients and professionals. "ADHD Medication Rules" offers those medical answers in the form of understandable, practical solutions for everyday practice, for every medication review. "Rules" is based upon the latest brain science, and includes a variety of associated treatment topics that address the real complexity of ADHD medical management. The variables that effect medication effectiveness range from sleep, to breakfast, to biomedical interferences that can dramatically change the way medications burn in the body. Without "Rules" the possibility of missing potentially dangerous drug interactions and associated diagnostic challenges, such as depression and anxiety, adds to the greater possibility of treatment failure.A key objective for "" engaging your medical team in more participatory dialogue with more clear expectations for medication outcomes and improved discussion at every medication check. Your anticipated "Rules" net Saved time, saved money, more predictable improvement, with better understanding of the entire ADHD medication treatment process at any age.
- GenresAdhdPsychology
ebook
First published August 29, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 21, 2012
General Summary
While most ADHD books discuss different medication options, it's very difficult to find information on how to determine if your medication is working correctly and, if not, if it's too much, too little, or perhaps the wrong distribution. Dr Charles Parker claims to provide simple rules for doing so and he also examines the interactions of the different ADHD stimulant drugs with diet, metabolic function, and medications commonly given for co-morbid disorders like depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder.
Rather than describing ADHD in terms of inattentive or hyperactive types, he differentiates in a more functional way: acting ADHD, thinking ADHD, and avoiding ADHD. A person may fit one or more of these categories, each category with distinctive behavioural characteristics. It's these behavioural characteristics that enable you to assess whether your treatment regime is working or not because you now know what to look for. Treatment, he says, should be aimed at addressing the cause of the symptoms and not be based upon descriptive subsets but on understanding the functional findings and objectives you have. Once you have a way to measure, medication outcomes are more predictable.
The key analogy used is that of the "therapeutic window". You don't want to go out the top or bump on the bottom, but float right inside. He explains it simply as:
Book Editions
The book is available electronically only (I think) as a Kindle book from Amazon or as a PDF that can be ordered from the author's website. Although it was only published last summer (August 2011), the author's website has a link to pre-order a new book via Amazon: New ADHD Medication Rules: Paying Attention to the Meds for Paying Attention to be published January 2013 (guess he's late!). That seems to be a paperback, but I'm not sure if it's just a print version of this self-published book or a revised version.
Comments
Despite the title, I'm not sure I could tell you exactly what the "rules" are. I can tell you the basic operational principles and the book provides guidance on how to go about these various steps:
The book's intention is not to have you self-diagnose or self-treat. It's intended to educate you so that you can more effectively help your medical team help you. Given how many people are being treated for ADHD by non-ADHD specialists, this is important, especially if your life is significantly impaired by ADHD. Even if you are being treated by a specialist, being able to assess and communicate the effects (or lack thereof) clearly and examine other interactions is extremely useful, so I think this is a useful book for anyone being treated for ADHD with stimulant medications or helping someone else who is, especially as it advocates a more whole body approach.
Reliability and Authority
Dr. Charles Parker isn't a name I was previously familiar with from ADHD research. He's certainly not one of the big names, like Russell Barkley, John Ratey, Stephen Faraone, Edward Hallowell, etc. The biographical blurb in the book says he's a practicing child and adult psychiatrist and neuroscience consultant who has lectured nationally on ADHD medication since 1996. He blogs at CorePsych Blog (http://www.corepsychblog.com/).
Using Google Scholar quickly, I couldn't find any published academic articles on ADHD by Parker. He seems to be more of a practitioner than a researcher. It's perhaps more worrying that he uses SPECT scans—a type of brain scan—and has worked previously with Daniel Amen of Amen Clinic fame. However, Parker doesn't advocate diagnosing and treating ADHD solely by SPECT scan or tie his advice into Amen's six types of ADHD. The advice and methodology given (and I'm not a doctor!) seem sensible and aspects do mesh with research and other work I've read, but I can't unequivocally say this is a reliable and authoritative work supported well by current research. Nevertheless, I still stand by my earlier opinion that it is quite useful and, because it's intended to help you work with your medical team, you should have access to appropriate medical guidance.
While most ADHD books discuss different medication options, it's very difficult to find information on how to determine if your medication is working correctly and, if not, if it's too much, too little, or perhaps the wrong distribution. Dr Charles Parker claims to provide simple rules for doing so and he also examines the interactions of the different ADHD stimulant drugs with diet, metabolic function, and medications commonly given for co-morbid disorders like depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder.
Rather than describing ADHD in terms of inattentive or hyperactive types, he differentiates in a more functional way: acting ADHD, thinking ADHD, and avoiding ADHD. A person may fit one or more of these categories, each category with distinctive behavioural characteristics. It's these behavioural characteristics that enable you to assess whether your treatment regime is working or not because you now know what to look for. Treatment, he says, should be aimed at addressing the cause of the symptoms and not be based upon descriptive subsets but on understanding the functional findings and objectives you have. Once you have a way to measure, medication outcomes are more predictable.
The key analogy used is that of the "therapeutic window". You don't want to go out the top or bump on the bottom, but float right inside. He explains it simply as:
It's the place, the dosage, where the stimulant medication used for ADHD works at the best therapeutic level. If medication dosage is outside the window, it simply is not working correctly, and you, as the person with the problem, will range from frustrated to disappointed to downright mad, even if you love your medical team. (Chapter 10)
Book Editions
The book is available electronically only (I think) as a Kindle book from Amazon or as a PDF that can be ordered from the author's website. Although it was only published last summer (August 2011), the author's website has a link to pre-order a new book via Amazon: New ADHD Medication Rules: Paying Attention to the Meds for Paying Attention to be published January 2013 (guess he's late!). That seems to be a paperback, but I'm not sure if it's just a print version of this self-published book or a revised version.
Comments
Despite the title, I'm not sure I could tell you exactly what the "rules" are. I can tell you the basic operational principles and the book provides guidance on how to go about these various steps:
First know your target, then know the expected actions, the trajectories of each medication, and finally how how to specifically measure brain and body variables when you don't hit the target (Chapter 10).
The book's intention is not to have you self-diagnose or self-treat. It's intended to educate you so that you can more effectively help your medical team help you. Given how many people are being treated for ADHD by non-ADHD specialists, this is important, especially if your life is significantly impaired by ADHD. Even if you are being treated by a specialist, being able to assess and communicate the effects (or lack thereof) clearly and examine other interactions is extremely useful, so I think this is a useful book for anyone being treated for ADHD with stimulant medications or helping someone else who is, especially as it advocates a more whole body approach.
Reliability and Authority
Dr. Charles Parker isn't a name I was previously familiar with from ADHD research. He's certainly not one of the big names, like Russell Barkley, John Ratey, Stephen Faraone, Edward Hallowell, etc. The biographical blurb in the book says he's a practicing child and adult psychiatrist and neuroscience consultant who has lectured nationally on ADHD medication since 1996. He blogs at CorePsych Blog (http://www.corepsychblog.com/).
Using Google Scholar quickly, I couldn't find any published academic articles on ADHD by Parker. He seems to be more of a practitioner than a researcher. It's perhaps more worrying that he uses SPECT scans—a type of brain scan—and has worked previously with Daniel Amen of Amen Clinic fame. However, Parker doesn't advocate diagnosing and treating ADHD solely by SPECT scan or tie his advice into Amen's six types of ADHD. The advice and methodology given (and I'm not a doctor!) seem sensible and aspects do mesh with research and other work I've read, but I can't unequivocally say this is a reliable and authoritative work supported well by current research. Nevertheless, I still stand by my earlier opinion that it is quite useful and, because it's intended to help you work with your medical team, you should have access to appropriate medical guidance.
September 5, 2014
ADHD Medication Rules provides patients with principles that govern AD/HD meds and addresses factors that influence effective AD/HD treatment, such as drug interactions, co-morbidies, seemingly unrelated health issues, medication delivery, personal habits and more. The information in this book supports patients in maximizing the AD/HD treatment they receive, particularly if it is not achieving desired targets.
ADHD Medication Rules is available only in an ebook format, with the benefit that many links to short videos on Dr. Parker's web page, CorePsych Blog, providing clarifying information are inserted throughout the text.
ADHD Medication Rules is available only in an ebook format, with the benefit that many links to short videos on Dr. Parker's web page, CorePsych Blog, providing clarifying information are inserted throughout the text.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews