Training Materials: Kids in the Syndrome Mix of ADHD, LD, Asperger’s, Tourette’s, Bipolar, and more! The one stop guide for parents, teachers, and other professionals

 Kids in the Syndrome Mix of ADHD, LD, Asperger’s, Tourette’s, Bipolar, and more! The one stop guide for parents, teachers, and other professionals
 Martin L Kutscher, Jessica Kingsley Publishers
 ISBN: 1843108100, £14.99

 STAR RATING: 4/5

Written in a clear, engaging style, this readable volume, with helpful translations of scientific concepts into lay terms, is very welcome, writes Beth Billington. 

Aimed primarily at parents and teachers, I particularly liked the structure of this book, with two introductory chapters that explain the basics of diagnosis and treatment, followed by chapters on separate diagnostic categories. 

There is a helpful emphasis on real-world presentation of problems experienced by children and young people, which rarely occur as clear-cut easily diagnosable conditions.

My only concern is that as a US publication it uses terms that may be unfamiliar or have different meanings in the UK. This is generally not a problem, aside from the section on “mental retardation” (learning difficulty).

Martin Kutscher and the other contributors provide realistic ideas and ways about classroom management and family interactions.

It would be ideal for teachers who work with a wide range of children who vary greatly in the difficulties they experience. A good balance is achieved, with enough information to start adapting practice, without being overwhelming in complexity. 

Beth Billington is a trainee clinical psychologist at Lancaster University. She also has a younger brother who has a diagnosis of autism