Scattered Minds 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. Scattered Minds: - 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