My Brain Needs Glasses: ADHD explained to kids Paperback – October 24, 2017

My 8-year-old son was recently diagnosed with moderate ADHD and I purchased a few books to help him understand what it is. We bought "All Dogs Have ADHD," "A Dragon with ADHD" and this title. We enjoyed all of them. I will say this one is by far the most detailed and comphrehensive, while still being very accessible to an 8-year-old. It also broaches the topic of mediciation, which we are going to explore, and I apprecited that it raised the issues of side effects and other things that we'd like him to be aware of so he can communicate if he's feeling any of them.I think this is an excellent and helpful book. BUT the one critique I have is that it frames ADHD as a "problem" on multiple occasions. I don't want my son feeling shamed and bad about himself after reading this. I'd love it if they could frame it instead as a brain difference, which it is. "Problem" is a subjective word and I don't choose to see his brain as problematic, and I don't want him to either. I ended up razor blading a few pages out before reading the book with him because I didn't like the negative bent they had.

Bought this book as an informative and entertaining resource to help my 7 year old understand his recent diagnosis. This has been hugely valuable not only for my son, but also for me and my husband. It does a brilliant job at explaining what’s going on with my son’s brain in tangible terms, while demonstrating actionable tactics that help kids successfully manage symptoms. More than that though, this book served as a critical tool to open up conversations with my son about his pain and confusion, talking for the first time about the ongoing struggles and guilt he feels about not being “good enough” or “smart enough”.... all while illustrating for parents not having this diagnosis themselves what ADHD “means” in extraordinarily practical terms. The book has been essential for building a shared vocabulary and clear understanding of ADHD for our whole family. It is an important book for all kids and parents looking for a deep, meaningful understanding of what this diagnosis means, all the while building confidence about the hope that exists at the end of the tunnel.

How can a child with ADHD be expected to read over 45 pages?? Way to wordy and repetitive Some pages were good and explanatory but i'd have to pick and choose which was relevant. Maybe ok for a highly medicated or much older child but not good for a 9 year old.

Great books for kids. My son loved it.

my son loves it

Why do I love this book? I will share with you a response I just wrote to one of the many parents asking me for advice on which books to get when their child is newly diagnosed with ADHD.___Dear X,The type of book you might want really depends on the issue with your child’s experience of ADHD.Sometimes the main challenge is social, sometimes organizational, etc.The main thing I would encourage: Some books or other types of material that help your child understand what is ADHD, why he is taking medication, how to prepare for any criticism he might hear (if you think that’s likely…from other children, extended family members, etc.).That is the biggest mistake made with pediatric treatment, imho: Not educating the child, especially in pro-active strategies.The more they can “own” it, the less they will feel stigmatized, angry later (as a teen) about taking medication, and so forth.Speaking of which, teens/young adults who never suffered for lack of ADHD treatment are sometimes those who reject it the most. By contrast, late-diagnosis older adults often strongly wish they had been diagnosed and treated in childhood, because they have paid a very dear price for not having it.Emerging research is examining the perceptions of children/teens with ADHD vis a vis the medication. Some cannot tell the difference, when it is helping them or not, but other people around them can. This is in part due to ADHD symptoms creating degrees of poor self-observation.So, I’d try to help him understand the difference medication makes for him.I love this book by psychiatrist Annick Vincent, mother of four children and a top ADHD specialist in Canada:My Brain Needs Glasses: ADHD explained to kidsby Amazon.comLearn more: https://www.amazon.com/dp/198800280X/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_9kQoCbN6T897Y

It’s very long (over 50 pages) and sometimes too specific with behaviors that wouldn’t apply to all kids.I wish it was divided into chapters.I do like the “tips”.I appreciate the concept.I wish the book had chapters or sections to look up the info because it’s too long to read in one sitting (especially for parents and kids with ADHD, ha!).

While there are many great aspects of the boom it presents ADHD as a problem on multiple occasions. Not great for a population of kids that already struggle with self esteem issues. Would be a lot better if it could be reframed to be neurodivergent affirmative and reflect what ADHD actually is, a difference, not a defect. It would be great it it was updated and republished

I didnt find this helpful. My daughter wasn't interested at all. She's 8

To explain to my grandson the reason why he feels like he does with his adhd

This book is amazing! My son related to it and understood it. He’s always asking questions about adhd and I think this really helped him realize he’s not different and there are so many people that do have it! The tips were also great- when they don’t come from me they seem like an amazing idea! 😉

For my 6 nearly 7 year old to understand about ADHD but he still didn’t get itLovely book

Definitely child-focussed and enough examples for kids to connect with their own experiences. Helpful for starting discussion, and gives some strategies to start with, and more resources in the back.