Bright Not Broken: Gifted Kids, ADHD, and Autism

by Diane M. Kennedy, Rebecca S. Banks, Temple Grandin (Contribution by)

Overview

The future of our society depends on our gifted children—the population in which we’ll find our next Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, or Virginia Woolf.  Yet the gifts and talents of some of our most brilliant kids may never be recognized because these children fall into a group known as twice exceptional, or “2e.” Twice exceptional kids are both gifted and diagnosed with a disability—often ADHD or an Autism Spectrum Disorder—leading teachers and parents to overlook the child’s talents and focus solely on his weaknesses. Too often, these children get lost in an endless cycle of chasing diagnostic labels and are never given the tools to fully realize their own potential.

Bright Not Broken sheds new light on this vibrant population by identifying who twice exceptional children are and taking an unflinching look at why they’re stuck.  The first work to boldly examine the widespread misdiagnosis and controversies that arise from our current diagnostic system, it serves as a wake-up call for parents and professionals to question why our mental health and education systems are failing our brightest children.

Most importantly, the authors show what we can do to help 2e children, providing a whole child model for parents and educators to strengthen and develop a child’s innate gifts while also intervening to support the deficits.  Drawing on painstaking research and personal experience, Bright Not Broken offers groundbreaking insight and practical strategies to those seeking to help 2e kids achieve their full potential.

Diane M. Kennedy, author of The ADHD-Autism Connection, is a long time advocate, international speaker/trainer, and mother of three twice-exceptional sons.

Rebecca S. Banks, M.A., co-author of The ADHD-Autism Connection, is a veteran educator, national speaker/trainer, and mother of two twice-exceptional children.

Temple Grandin, Ph.D., is a professor, prolific author, and one of the most accomplished and renowned adults with autism in the world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781118101834
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	08/02/2011
Sold by:	JOHN WILEY & SONS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	877,352
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

DIANE M. KENNEDY, author of The ADHD-Autism Connection, is a longtime advocate, international speaker/trainer, and mother of three twice-exceptional sons.

REBECCA S. BANKS, MA, coauthor of The ADHD-Autism Connection, is a veteran educator, national speaker/trainer, and mother of two twice-exceptional children.

TEMPLE GRANDIN, PhD, is a professor, prolific author, and one of the most accomplished and renowned adults with autism in the world.

Read an Excerpt

Click to read or download

Table of Contents

About the Authors.

Acknowledgments.

Authors' Note.

Preface (Temple Grandin).

Introduction (Diane M. Kennedy and Rebecca S. Banks).

Who They Are

1. Twice Exceptional: A Nontraditional View of Giftedness.

2. Recognizing 2e: A Confusing Mix of Abilities and Challenges.

3. 2e, ADHD, and Labels: Misunderstanding Behaviors and Missing Deficits.

4. Autism and 2e: A Better Understanding of Deficits and Behaviors

Why They're Stuck.

5. A Layman's Guide to the DSM: The Flawed System That Traps Our Children.

6. Fact or Fallacy: Questioning the Validity of the ADHD Diagnosis.

7. Misunderstanding the Spectrum of Autism: An Important “e” in 2e.

8. 2e Students and Education: Too Bright, Too Broken.

How to Help Them.

9. Diagnosing the Whole Child: Identifying Abilities and Minimizing Deficits.

10. Educating the Whole Child: Nurturing Abilities and Supporting Challenges.

Conclusion: Ensuring the Best Future for Our Brightest Minds.

Additional Resources.

Notes.

Index.

Editorial Reviews

"This book is truly inspiring and it shows that by simply changing our perception of these children, and then the testing and education that stems from that perception, we can help them become successful, contributing adults." (psychcentral.com, March 13th, 2012)

From the Publisher