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Author: Visit Amazon's Matthew Smith Page
ISBN : 1780230311
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Review
“Matthew Smith persuasively demonstrates the historical contingency of our ideas about hyperactivity. Well written, complex yet sharply argued, this book is a sorely needed corrective to today’s therapeutic ‘common sense’ and the ocean of pharmaceuticals it sanctions.”
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David Herzberg, University at Buffalo (SUNY))
“As Matthew Smith demonstrates in this excellent study, there is arguably no more contentious childhood condition than hyperactivity or ADHD. Since the term was first introduced in the decades following the Second World War, hyperactivity has been variably explained in terms of genetic constitution, faulty parenting, an inability to cope with the pace and pressure of modern life, and increased sensitivity to food additives. Hyperactive explores debates about the biological, social and cultural contours of a condition that continues to puzzle doctors, frustrate teachers, and destroy families. It will surely be of value not only to historians of medicine, but also to the parents, teachers, psychiatrists and policy-makers involved in the daily struggle to cope with hyperactive children.”
(
Mark Jackson, University of Exeter)
“Matthew Smith contributes a highly engaging and important historical perspective to the alleged epidemic in hyperactivity. His book is a masterfully written account that challenges us to think critically about how our modern culture has given rise to a sub-population of children with allegedly disruptive behaviours. At the core of this book Smith boldly asks whether such actions deserve to be better treated or simply better understood.”
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Erika Dyck, University of Saskatchewan)
“Matthew Smith dramatically presents the tangled history of a highly conflicted topic, perceptively examining pertinent biological, psychological, and social theories, professional authority, and pharmaceutical marketing, in the light of the day-to-day realities faced by schools, physicians, parents, and children labeled as hyperactive. For anyone personally or professionally concerned with ADHD, this book demonstrates how critically important it is for us to understand the issue in its historical context.”
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Rima D. Apple, University of Wisconsin-Madison)
“Hyperactive is a well-researched, well-organized, and well-written history fo the development of the highly variable perception, understanding, and treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Smith provides a logically strong argument for considering ADHD as a highly complex disorder arising from a number of contributing variables. . . . The author’s critical analysis and global view and interpretation—all free of any discernible bias—make his arguments compelling. . . . What makes this work outstanding is its readability and continuity of story line. . . . Essential.”
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Choice)
About the Author
Matthew Smith is a lecturer and Wellcome Trust research fellow at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland.
Direct download links available for Free Download Hyperactive: The Controversial History of ADHD
- Hardcover: 248 pages
- Publisher: Reaktion Books; 1 edition (September 15, 2012)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1780230311
- ISBN-13: 978-1780230313
- Product Dimensions: 1.1 x 5.5 x 8.5 inches
- Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces
Free Download Hyperactive: The Controversial History of ADHD
Matthew Smith, an historian, lecturer and Wellcome Trust research fellow at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland, explains his motivation to write books such as this: " I am interested in the history of health and medicine in the twentieth century, particularly in the North American context. I am particularly drawn to controversies about medical knowledge and am keen to explore how historians can help inform such debates. These interests have led me to investigate the histories of psychiatry, allergy, food and nutrition, child health and environmental illness."
It has been said that those who don't read history are doomed to repeat it. This adage should be kept in mind while reading this book. If you are looking for answers for your specific loved one you will not find it unless you read between the lines and come to your own conclusions. ADHD, as we know it, did not become listed as a medical disorder until the middle of the last century. As Smith puts it, "I have argued that it is impossible to extricate hyperactivity from the historical period in which it emerged. Neither physicians, nor society in general, were particularly concerned about overactive, impulsive and distractible children prior to the late 1950." That, of course, didn't mean it didn't exist, but the demands of our changing culture may have made it more disturbing.
The definition of ADHD as of 2007 (according to the ADHD World Federation)
. . .is a highly heritable childhood-onset psychiatric condition which is characterized by age-inappropriate levels of the core symptoms inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity . . .
There are multiple etiological factors underlying this condition including genetic predisposition and brain structure abnormalities and neurotransmitter malfunction.