Het ADD Syndroom

by Thomas E. Brown

Waarom kan iemand met ADHD wel urenlang computeren, maar niet zijn werk afkrijgen?
Iedereen heeft wel aandachtsproblemen, als je maar hard je best doet gaat het vanzelf over …

Thomas E. Brown is een vooraanstaand deskundige op het gebied van diagnostiek en behandeling van aandachtstekortstoornis met hyperactiviteit. In Het ADD-syndroom geeft hij praktische en wetenschappelijk onderbouwde informatie over behandelingen. Hij beschrijft een geheel nieuw inzicht in ADD/ADHD aan de hand van treffende voorbeelden van de invloed van deze stoornis op het dagelijks leven van kinderen, pubers, adolescenten en volwassenen.
Thomas Brown gaat in op vele vragen en vooroordelen over ADHD. Hij legt in eenvoudige bewoordingen uit wat ADHD inhoudt. Hij stelt met name de aandachtsproblemen centraal en noemt dit het ADD-syndroom. Hij legt uit dat ADHD meer is dan af en toe afgeleid zijn of je niet kunnen concentreren. Hij gaat ook in op de achtergrond van ADHD en geeft een overzicht van datgene wat er tot nu toe wetenschappelijk bekend is over ADHD.

Dit boek is voor een breed publiek geschreven, voor patiënt en hulpverlener, familielid, leerkracht en andere geïnteresseerden.

Genres: Psychology, Adhd, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Nonfiction, Mental Health

397 pages, Paperback

Published June 1, 2009

Reviews

[diaLOG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice book overall. Opposed to DSM-5 in combining Asperger Syndrome with Autism and placing it on part of the spectrum, this author who clearly advocates for restoring the use of “Asperger Syndrome” as a subset of Autism Spectrum Disorder, and you can sense through the pages and his first-hand experiences that neurodivergent individuals on the spectrum with stronger cognitive abilities are indeed different from what we usually perceive as ‘autistic’, and so the help they need also varies.

Just as in psychiatric diagnosis there is good reason to differentiate “Separation Anxiety” from “Specific Phobia,” “Social Anxiety,” “Panic Disorder” and “Generalized Anxiety Disorder” rather than lumping them altogether simply as “Anxiety Disorders,” it is also useful to identify Asperger Syndrome as a cluster of characteristics that is different from other types on the Autism Spectrum, and to recognize the need for those with this syndrome to be helped to prepare for more complex social interactions.

This book also offers valuable insights into how neurodivergent individuals are treated, specifically regarding the diagnostic process and medication management.

For example, a standardized evaluation usually comprises the patient’s own self-report, a description from a close relative or friend, and a comprehensive IQ assessment. The author notes using the WISC-V and Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV for different age groups, alongside Kennedy et al.’s (2016) brief story memory tasks, which involve recalling 25 word units after hearing two stories, as well as forward and backward digit spans. Following this, standard care includes in-person consultations and coordination with pediatricians to begin trials of stimulant medication.

Regarding medications, I learned more about Concerta, Guanfacine, Vyvanse, Clonazepam, and Bupropion, as well as how SSRIs can supplement treatment since many patients present with comorbid mood disorders.

[Margo Taliväting · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written and easy to understand. I especially liked the stories. Gave much insight how ADHD and Asperger can look like together, what struggles those people have and what might be helpful. I agree that assessing ADHD requires first of all an clinical interview and gathering information from different sources. I definitely dont agree with dr Brown that computerized tests are useless in assessing ADHD. I have done those tests for years and all i can say they add very much value in assessing and observing the symptoms in time. I think dr Brown is not familiar what kind of information those tests actually can offer (not just broad scores). But other than that, its definitely worth to read.

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helpful look at the intersection of ASD and ADHD for gifted people

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

So far best book of ADD i did read. After reading that one i did understand a friend of mine better, why she react sometimes like that. And also helps with some of my students to understand them better.