Experience Attention Deficits Through the Eyes of a Child

By Dr. Paul Chleborad, Psy.D., MA, MFCT, - 2007-07-19 Find more articles like this in our Autism ADHD and ADD category.

Small - Big

Email article       Print

Author Michelle Fattig will be interviewed on Chicago radio station, Autism One Radio, August 14, 2007 by author and host Rhonda Brunett. The Annie Books are a must read for parents, educators, students, and professionals experiencing the challenges of Asperger’s Syndrome and Attention Deficit Disorders.

Michelle and Josh have Asperger's Syndrome and Attention Deficit Disorder. They use their unique insight and experience to fight crime, battle evil, and promote world peace.

The Annie Books are a must read for any parent, teacher, professional, or child with the challenges of Attention Deficit Disorders. Annie Books are fun to read, provide useful information, allow for empathetic understanding, for those of you, who don't get to understand it from the inside, and those of us, who don't know, that those of you, don't understand it from the inside! We think that everyone feels this way, so we wonder what is wrong with us, and why can't we just be normal...

Michelle is a school psychologist and medical technologist, who volunteers as a parent advocate, and provides professional development to parents and educators, regarding Individuals with Disabilites Education Act (IDEA), Improving Learning for Children with Disabilities (ILCD), Hidden Disabilities, and Response to Intervention (RTI). She is a proud veteran of the Air Force and previous school board member. Michelle has Asperger's Syndrome, Attention Deficit with Hyperactivity Disorder, and learning disabilities. She is a doctoral candidate in Education Leadership. In her 'spare time,' she enjoys spending time with her family.

Illustrator: Josh is a junior in high school, and is incredibly gifted in art and music. Josh has many other wonderful attributes, and he also has the joy of Asperger's Syndrome, Attention Deficit Disorder (he firmly believes that having one less letter in his disorder makes him LESS disabled than his mom), and learning disabilities.

Review: This story of Annie masterfully illustrates many of the experiences of a child with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Inattentive Type, (or ADD). Michelle captures the essence of an ADD child through Annie, and states it so clearly, " How many times has she (Annie) tried to explain to someone that what she was thinking just now, was too broad of a question? How do you explain that "just now" she may have thought about..."

The student can easily identify with Annie and her frequent distractible thoughts, that while wonderfully creative, frequently results in failure. Many ADD students frequently develop negative internal beliefs of I'm no good, I'm stupid, and as Michelle’s Annie says’ "Why can't I just...." Parents often read Annie, and not only see their own child (who may have ADD), but often see themselves, and question whether they may also have ADD. Teachers can easily recognize the frustration that they experience in their classroom and some see how they can approach situations differently.

Michelle's depiction of Annie, her distractions within her mind, school, and family, mirrors many of the life experiences of my clients, their parents, and teachers. As a Clinical Psychologist, I have used this book (even prior to publication) with several of my young clients, as well as their parents, to help in their understanding and identification of ADD. A Prairie Day with Annie, is enjoyable and easy to read, while wonderfully illustrating the creative mind, frustrating experiences, and hopeful possibilities of one who has ADD.

Annie Books Series©: Experience Attention Deficits Through the Eyes of a Child. Written by Michelle Fattig. Pictures by Josh Fattig

Dr. Paul Chleborad, Psy.D., MA, MFCT,

Flower by the Water Publishing©
Patrick Foulk, Applications Manager
308-940-2007
website: www.anniebooks.com and www.fbwpub.com