Ryan was active when still in the womb. As an infant he did not sleep at night and took no afternoon naps. He did not like to be held, and was irritable, impatient, impulsive, demanding, hyperactive, aggressive, always throwing temper tantrums, and resistant to discipline. Trivial things would send him into a rage. He repeated things over and over, talked too loud, screamed excessively, didn´t listen, couldn´t take no for an answer, resisted change, punched holes in walls and, on top of all this, seemed totally unaware of the effect his behavior was having on those around him… Life was a roller coaster of good days followed by horrible days, of Dr. Jeckyll followed by Mr. Hyde.

This is just part of the problems Susan Hughes faced. When the diagnosis is missed, parents and especially mother´s are blamed for their child´s behavior. This eloquent and compassionately written story will help all people to understand these difficult children. Informative for parents, teachers and health professionals.

Susan Hughes tells of her struggle with understanding Ryan´s unusual behaviors, of getting a diagnosis, and of struggling with her own feelings of guilt.

Her message is written in the ultimately understandable language of parent to parent. It is written so others need not feel alone or struggle through so many years of uncertainty.

Table of Contents

Foreward     Preface 1 The Perfect Mother Syndrome 2 Through the First Year 3 The Terribly Terrible Twos 4 Spare the Rod?	5 Mother's Day 6 Why? 7 Minimal Brain What? 8 Ritalin and Ryan 9 Five Years Old Means Kindergarten 10 The Transition Year
11 All Star Boy 12 The Agony of Defeat 13 Hope 14 He Wouldn't Be That Way If Only 15 Angel in Disguise 16 One Day at a Time 17 What is Tourette Syndrome?	18 Coping Strategies for Parents 19 Ways to Help Your ADHD or Tourette Child at Home 20 A Mother Speaks About     Epilogue     Appendix     Index