Just Like His Father?

by Liane J. Leedom

Your child is at risk if he has biologic relatives with ADHD, addiction or antisocial behavior. Recent scientific studies have shown that often these conditions are transmitted genetically in... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Perfect Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0977801306
• ISBN13: 9780977801305
• Release Date: September 2006
• Publisher: Health and Well-Being Publications, LLC
• Length: 245 Pages
• Weight: 0.79 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

An Important Book for Parents and Professionals

"Just Like His Father?" is written by Dr. Leedom, a psychiatrist. She has done an excellent job of searching the scientific literature and using her own experiences to write this very readable and helpful book. It includes straight forward advice for helping parents form good healthy bonds with their children. Professionals will like this book, as well and may want to recommend it to clients. I certainly will. Dr. Kathryn Seifert author of How Children Become Violent: Keeping Your Kids Out of Gangs, Terrorist Organizations, and Cults

A Fabulous Guide for All Parents

Dr. Leedom has written a wonderful and helpful book for all parents - whether they have an "at risk" child, or not. I am a child psychiatrist, and have already recommended "Just Like His Father?" to several patients' parents. This book gives helpful advice on parenting, as well as cogently explaining several childhood psychiatric disorders, (ADHD, Conduct Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder). I particularly love Dr. Leedom's point regarding forming a strong loving bond with children early on, so that there is a foundation from which to discipline later. Discipline without a loving foundation will fall on small deaf ears. I rarely read a book on how to prevent problems. Most books explain subjects once the problem is already there. Dr. Leedom tells parents how to avoid future difficulties. Boy, do we need her! Thanks, Dr. Leedom!

Just Like His Genes?

This is a very interesting book that revolves around a crucially important discovery close to my own heart: that biology is not destiny. Liane Leedom is a psychiatrist who gives a candid account about her realization that at least one of her own children had a strong genetic loading for sociopathic personality disorder and attention deficit disorder. So she set about plowing the scientific literature, as well as using her clinical experience to see whether there was any way to prevent the child from falling victim to a lifetime of personal problems. The result is a large number of useful practical pieces of advice about helping the child, adolescent and adult at risk of developing a specific psychiatric problem with a strong genetic component. The text is broken up by a great many nicely chosen and appropriate illustrations. Liane talks about an interesting model, which is that the core problems of antisocial personality disorder are: 1. Poor impulse control 2. An inability to love 3. Poor moral reasoning This is a novel and interesting way of thinking about the problem that developed out of study of twins that was published last year. None of us yet knows whether this model is accurate, but it does provide a useful framework for some of the advice that follows. I like this book very much, so why only four stars? I fear that the first chapter may put off many people: it, and indeed much of the book is in serious need of an editor and a proofreader. Throughout the text she usually, but not always, uses bold type for "at risk" so it's difficult to work out why sometimes she does and sometimes she doesn't. Many other things are bolded so it gets a bit confusing. I like that she has provided some scientific references to support her statements, but sadly they are rather disorganized. Some of the same scientific papers are cited several times and in some places single numbers refer to several citations. A lot of research is mentioned, but I kept wanting Liane to tell me what she thought and how the different pieces of research tied together. This is a good book as it stands, but unless you really know the field, you may want to skim through the first chapter and head straight for the advice sections. With some editing, proofing and rearranging the book could be excellent.

Enlightenment at last!

The author, a trained psychiatrist and a single mother of three, has written in accessible language a much needed compendium of current scientific knowledge regarding two pernicious mental health disorders: the Antisocial Personality Disorder (psychopathy) and Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Both have a genetic component, though how decisive is still disputed. But the book goes way beyond a laymen's introduction. It addresses the needs of parents of children at risk - offspring of patients with either disorder. The book provides practical, hands-on advice on how to screen for warning signs and how to prevent the disorder from fully developing. It is a commendable and impressive feat that the author succeeds to proffer a whole new psychodynamic model without once resorting to obscure lingo and psycho-babble. Parents with children diagnosed with Conduct Disorder or Oppositional Defiant Disorder (usually the precursors of the Antisocial Personality Disorder) or with ADHD would greatly benefit from this tome and are likely to find it a source of calm, friendly, and authoritative reassurance. Sam Vaknin, author of "Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited"

GROUND BREAKING HELP IS NOW AVAILABLE

BRAVO to Dr. Leedom!! Never before has such crucial, hands-on information been available to help parents and caregivers to be able to tackle the at-risk child. This easy to read book provides the steps to guide your child towards developing a caring, loving nature. Parents faced with the daunting task of "What do I do?" will have this step by step easy to do, common sense knowledge that only a professional parent caught in this same situation can provide. You will find the formulae to maximize the full potential of your child who may be at risk of ADHD, addictive and even Antisocial Personality Disorder traits and guide that child towards a normal life. No matter what age your child is, Dr. Leedom's book gives the parent the steps to hit the ground running in developing a child's potential. I was riveted by the information, research, motivated and inspired. You will love this book. Two thumbs up and 5 stars just aren't enough. This is a must-read for parents and professionals alike.