SpEd - Book (Teenagers with ADD and ADHD: A Guide for Parents and Professionals)

Reviews
“The teen years often hold many challenges, but parents of adolescents with Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder face more challenges than most. No one knows this more than Chris Zeigler Dendy, the mother of children with these conditions and a recognised authority on ADD and ADHD whose 1995 self-help manual on the subject of parenting this group offered information and hope. Now, with this revised and expanded edition, Dendy has returned to keep readers abreast of what is new. In addition to updating and covering topics such as diagnosis, treatment, educational concerns, etc., Dendy stresses the absolute need for self-advocacy with teachers and other professionals so that teens with ADD or ADHD are not misunderstood. An entire chapter is devoted to treatment options including new medications, while secondary concerns such as learning disabilities, depression, and life beyond high school are also addressed. Parents’ and teens’ experiences also lend credibility to this comprehensive volume which is nicely rounded out by a lengthy resource section. Filled with practical and current information, Dendy’s book is a bargain and should prove helpful to parents, teachers, educators, and other ancillary professionals.”
- Disability Resources Online

“Mental health professional Dendy, a mother of three kids with ADD/ADHD, knows the challenges that parents of children with attention deficits face when the teen years roll around. In this updated and expanded second edition (the first was published in 1995), she shares a lot of tips, insights, and support from other parents, lending a realistic feel to the information. Included are in-depth discussions of ADD/ADHD, diagnosis and testing, medications, and coexisting conditions, as well as advice on discipline, academics, home life, and helping the rest of the family deal with ADD/ADHD. Dendy supplies many forms and other self-evaluation tools that families can use to determine a child’s strengths and weakness, to assess effectiveness of medications, and to establish a basis for working with school personnel. A comprehensive resource guide rounds out the 17 chapters and six appendixes. This extremely comprehensive edition, full of the latest professional research, is a valuable resource to which parents will refer even as their teens enter adulthood; highly recommended for all public libraries.”
- Library Journal, December 2006

“This is a well-written, comprehensive, and well-organised book. The 8.5” x 11” workbook-size format, appealing graphic design, and layout add to the user-friendliness and create an excellent quick reference guide for parents. Chapters are divided into short sections and are made easier to navigate with the use of a variety of design elements including bullet points, pull-out quotes, tables, charts, lists, and appendices. The reading level is high school and above, especially in the sections addressing medications. Dendy does a wonderful job of summarising for the consumer in an understandable way the most current and important research. Each chapter is a balanced blend of common sense advice, succinct summaries of research, and quotes from parents as well as pre-eminent ADHD researchers and clinicians such as Dr. Patricia Quinn and Dr. Russell Barkley, among others. It would be nice to see a section (or sections within each chapter) devoted to the unique gender-related issues and needs of girls with ADHD because research shows this population has distinct, often unrecognised characteristics and overlooked needs. The book is none the less an excellent educational resource for caregivers of newly diagnosed teens, families who seek proven and practical coping and management strategies, and anyone seeking a synthesis of the latest research about treating ADHD in adolescents.”
- CAPHIS Consumer Connections

“This latest book by Chris Dendy is like the first edition, Teenagers with ADD, A Parents’ Guide (1995), written as a one-stop source of information. It is clearly directed at families but contains nuggets of information that are helpful to anybody who works or lives with a teen diagnosed with an attention deficit. The information is clearly and logically organised. Issues related to assessment, acceptance, coexisting conditions, treatment and overall management of the teen with an attention deficit at home, school and in the community are comprehensively covered. Current ways of thinking about attention deficits are included as well as feelings from leading researches. Practical strategies and accommodations are discussed, many of which are clearly summarised in charts. The main limitation of the book is that it is geared to the American reader. As a result, there are references to medications that are not available in Canada and to education laws that are not applicable. Another disappointment is the lack of reference to occupational therapy despite the clear role occupational therapists can play in optimising the occupational performance of a teen diagnosed with an attention deficit. Putting aside these short-comings, this book is an excellent resource and a welcome addition to my bookshelf.”
- Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, Volume 74, No. 5, December 2007