Beyond Ritalin:Facts About Medication and Strategies for Helping Children,: Adolescents, and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorders - Hardcover

Stephen W. Garber, Ph.D. is one of the country's leading parenting experts and is the director of Behavioral Institute of Atlanta.

Garber and his coauthors target the sensationalism surrounding the use of the psychostimulant Ritalin (methylphenidate) to treat children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and counter media hype and distortion with solid information, evenhanded discussion, and illuminating advice. They meld anecdotal case histories with clear, accessible definitions, explanations, and guidance as they firmly state that medication alone is no panacea for a complex neuropsychological disorder and contend that additional therapies (psychotherapy, behavior modification, etc.) must be included in successful treatment plans for children and adults. They offer detailed factual information about what medication can and can't do, consider the subtle interplay of ADHD characteristics in school and social environments, and thoughtfully counsel modifications in everyday life as components in multimodal approaches. Indeed, there is something here for everyone concerned with ADHD, for those wary of medication or seeking nonmedical treatment approaches as well as for those who want to know more about Ritalin in relation to the overall treatment of attention disorders. Irene Wood