First published in 2012 by Vintage Canada.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

This book explodes the myth of attention deficit disorder as genetically based - and offers real hope and advice for children and adults who live with the condition. Gabor Mate is a revered physician who specializes in neurology, psychiatry and psychology - and himself has ADD. With wisdom gained through years of medical practice and research, Scattered Minds is a must-read for parents - and for anyone interested how experiences in infancy shape the biology and psychology of the human brain. This book: Demonstrates that ADD is not an inherited illness, but a reversible impairment and developmental delay ; Explains that in ADD, circuits in the brain whose job is emotional self-regulation and attention control fail to develop in infancy - and why ; Shows how `distractibility' is the psychological product of life experience ; Allows parents to understand what makes their ADD children tick, and adults with ADD to gain insights into their emotions and behaviours ; Expresses optimism about neurological development even in adulthood ; Presents a programme of how to promote this development in both children and adults.