BOOK REVIEWS

Late, Lost, and Unprepared – Cooper-Kahn & Dietze

Book review

Emphasis on executive functions

In “Late, Lost, and Unprepared: a Parents’ Guide to Helping Children with Executive Functioning”, Joyce Cooper-Kahn & Laurie Dietzel, clinical psychologists, aim to help children who “despite their best intentions, often do their homework but forget to turn it in, wait until the last minute to start a project, lose things, or have a room that looks like a dump!”.

The advice is relevant, as ADHD affects communications with the frontal lobes, where Executive Functions are located. The authors suggest ways to improve Impulse Control (taking turns, interrupting), Cognitive Flexibility (new situations, frustrations), Initiation (homework, activities), Working Memory (directions, note-taking), Planning & Organizing (homework, schedules), Self-monitoring (errors, staying on topic).

Ironically it is these same weaker executive functions that make ADHD children and adults so special: their humour, creativity, passion and empathy comes from this same neurology. So I am wary of the premise that there is a right way for executive functioning to work, that there is a “normal” way to behave. I prefer to combine these techniques with greater support, to concentrate on the child’s strengths and passions, in finding ADHD-friendly solutions and in creating a life to fit a child’s character.
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ADHD Coach, Andrew Lewis

Andrew Lewis

Andrew Lewis is an ADHD Coach, writer and founder of SimplyWellbeing. He has over ten thousand hours and fifteen years of experience in coaching ADHD executives, business professionals and creatives. His expertise with ADHD is personal, with decades of his own experience, bringing up an ADHD child, running a large support group and in coaching clients often for years He has published his writing via this website and has ADHD online courses in development. His business expertise comes from a twenty years career in software, from programming, through marketing, sales and running a few start-ups.

Further reading

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A well-researched holistic approach to managing and healing ADHD, from master of SPECT scans
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A classic, a profound and helpful life guide. The New Psychology of love, Traditional Values and Spiritual Growth”., by M. Scott Peck, a former clinical psychiatrist who shares his insightful client experiences.
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Dr. Daniel Amen is turning psychiatry into science, with objective diagnosis based upon SPECT (Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography) scans to identify brain differences
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A major resource for teachers, school professionals, parents and clinicians to help children with ADHD
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Brilliant comprehensive guide to adult ADHD
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Medications can help but many adults find them ineffective or problematic, this book present some alternatives
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