Making the System Work for Your Child with ADHD »

Peter S. Jensen, MD, is Director of the Center for the Advancement of Children's Mental Health and Ruane Professor of Child Psychiatry at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. Previously, he was Associate Director of Child and Adolescent Research at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), where he was the lead NIMH investigator on a major study of the treatment of ADHD. He is the author or editor of numerous scientific articles and books; has received prestigious national awards for his research, writing, and teaching; and serves on the board of directors of Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD), among other organizations. This book is the first in a new series edited by Dr. Jensen, "Making the System Work for Your Child."

There’s lots of help out there for kids with ADHD, but getting it isn’t always easy. Where can you turn when you’ve mastered the basics and “doing everything right” isn’t enough--the insurer denies your claims, parent-teacher meetings get tense, or those motivating star charts no longer encourage good behavior?

Dr. Peter Jensen has spent years generating ways to make the healthcare and education systems work--as the father of a son with ADHD and as a scientific expert and dedicated parent advocate. No one knows more about managing the complexities of the disorder and the daily hurdles it raises. Now Dr. Jensen pools his own experiences with those of over 80 other parents to help you troubleshoot the system without reinventing the wheel. From breaking through bureaucratic bottlenecks at school to advocating for your child’s healthcare needs, this straightforward, compassionate guide is exactly the resource you’ve been looking for.

Doody Review Services

Reviewer:Susan Fielkow, MD, FAAC(Ochsner Clinic Foundation)
Description:This is a reference to assist parents in advocating for the needs of their child with ADHD. The book addresses system-related issues involving schools, home, physicians and other healthcare providers. It is structured to be a resource tool to be used along with other more comprehensive books on ADHD.
Purpose:The purpose is to serve as a reference for parents and other primary caregivers of children with ADHD to help them advocate for meeting a child's needs in various settings. By better understanding the system, be it school or healthcare, the caregiver can better provide for the child's specific needs. The book does a good job of outlining the elements of systems involved and the way parents can best deal with them. Highlighted information is placed in summary squares throughout the text, relevant questions are posed and then answered, and organized examples of action plans are provided.
Audience:The target audience includes parents or primary caregivers of children with ADHD. Anyone who wishes to better understand how to advocate for the needs of children with ADHD would benefit from reading this book.
Features:The book is organized in a fairly systematic way to assist parents in advocating for their child with ADHD. Often questions are posed to spark parents' interest on an issue and then the questions are answered, helping the parent to carefully navigate through the system. Summaries and salient points are placed in highlighted squares, and action plans are often placed at the end of chapters. The book assists parents with school issues (including homework, peers, teachers, and accommodations), medical concerns (including healthcare providers, medications, and appointments), and home, family, and social concerns. It is easy to read and use as a reference
Assessment:The book provides a more comprehensive reference for parents' needs as an advocate for their children. As stated by the author, it is not meant to replace more descriptive books about ADHD, but rather to be adjunct to them, dealing more specifically with system-related issues. It is well done and I will add it to my recommended reading for parents of children with ADHD.