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Library Journal Review

Coauthor of Driven to Distraction (LJ 3/15/94), Hallowell (psychiatry, Harvard Medical Sch.) offers hope to parents of children with emotional or learning problems. His premise is that "hidden biological elements shape the emotional life of children," but he stresses that ultimately both nature and nurture affect every child's fate. Using colloquial language and numerous anecdotes, he discusses the causes, symptoms, diagnostic methods, effects, and possible treatments of over 30 conditions such as depression, nonverbal learning disorder, and posttraumatic stress syndrome. The conditions are presented in Chapter 1 and mentioned in later chapters addressing confusion, anger, sadness, and fear. Other chapters cover the biological bases for learning and emotional problems and medication. The book includes a short list of helpful associations. More informal than other parenting books on learning and emotionally disabled children, this is recommended for public libraries.‘Carol R. Nelson, Ball State Univ. Lib., Muncie, Ind. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Publishers Weekly Review

Hallowell (Driven to Distraction), a practicing child and adult psychiatrist who teaches at Harvard Medical School, aims to cast light on those dark times when what he calls "moral diagnoses" of a child's behavior‘such as "`spoiled' or `lazy' or `manipulative' or `incorrigible'"‘ "eclipse the light of the correct, medical diagnoses." A firm believer that "hidden biological elements shape the emotional life of children," he convincingly reminds parents "that many causes of childhood emotional problems are beyond their control and their children's." Authoritative examples and case studies illustrate his point of view. In such chapters as "Treatable Conditions Parents Should Learn to Recognize," Hallowell examines the initial symptom, e.g., rage attacks or episodic bouts of extreme anxiety, and offers "snapshots" of the complexity of what the child is actually feeling. He then provides "possible diagnosis" as well as tips on "At-home remedies" and a guide to professional treatment. While some readers may take issue with Hallowell's advocacy of drugs such as ritalin to deal with the physiological bases of mental illnesses, his compassionate, highly readable guide is an excellent resource for understanding the psychological factors in the life and behavior of young people. (June) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved