Paul Wender is a pioneer researcher and clinician who was one of the first to identify and treat children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and later to notice the same pattern of symptoms in the parents of these children. He has now thoroughly revised and updated his classic handbook on the subject, adding more case histories, expanding the section on adults, and outlining the new drug treatments that have appeared since the last edition. Reviewing what is known about ADHD, its symptoms, its life course, its etiology, the usefulness of various treatments, and the value to the patient of education about the disorder, Wender brings together a wealth of information not available in any other volume. A clinician who has treated patients with ADHD for many years, he offers compelling firsthand accounts from men and women who offer dramatic insight into what it feels like to have ADHD and how it responds to medical treatment. Combining the insights of his clinical practice with his innovative research on pharmacological treatments of psychiatric disorders, Wender offers a wealth of practical information on where to seek help, the kinds and reliability of diagnostic tests, and the different approaches to treatment. He also identifies the drug treatments that can dramatically reduce symptoms and, when necessary, render patients more amenable to treatment for any residual psychological symptoms. The classic work on this ailment, ADHD is an indispensable source of help, hope, and understanding for parents and adults who suspect that they or someone they care about may suffer from this much misunderstood disorder.

To avoid possible confusion in terminology, let me explain what this book is about. Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has had several names in the past. Among the earlier names were "minimal brain dysfunction," "hyperactivity," and Attention-Deficit Disorder (ADD). The latest and what we hope is the final name is Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). My earlier books about ADHD used its earlier names, "minimal brain dysfunction" and "hyperactivity."

In 1973, I published the first version of this book, The Hyperactive Child. During several years of treating "hyperactive" children, I had discovered that the parents of such children needed information about the nature, causes, and treatment of "hyperactivity," and that no book was available with such information in a form suitable for the concerned layperson. The Hyperactive Child was written in response to this need, drawing on clinical and research experience as previously summarized in a book for physicians and other professionals working with children (P. H. Wender , Minimal Brain Dysfunction in Children. New York: Wiley, 1971).

In 1978, the second version of the book was published that contained new information about the medical and psychological management of "hyperactivity." It also included a dis-