"The Boy who was Raised as a Dog" By Bruce Perry, Maia Szalavitz

[Firefly]

I just finished The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog: And Other Stories from a Child Psychiatrist's Notebook--What Traumatized Children Can Teach Us About Loss, Love, and Healing [Paperback] by Dr. Bruce Perry.  ISBN 978-0465056538.  Publisher: Basic Books; Reprint edition (December 25, 2007)

Available on Amazon as audio, kindle and paper.

I just finished this as an audiobook and want to encourage, no...IMPLORE, everyone to read it. I leaned so much about the roots of empathy and gained a much better understanding of abberant child behavior and of my NPDH's lack of empathy. The author explores how our brains develop sequentially, how this is affected by life experiences, and how those effects shape our personalities. He outlines a new approach for reaching children with very difficult personality problems. Reading this should be a requirement for teachers, and parents will find it fascinating. If you think your kids are being given too much homework, your gut is right and towards the end he explains why....as well as the changes society needs to make to reverse the tide of PDs flooding America...and so much more! The true case stories he relates will grip you.

[Latchkey]

A truly fascinating book to read. The writing by Dr. Perry is excellent and the kids and their lives and the therapy sessions are the real deal. The book cuts across all socio-economic and race lines and shows the kids and parents as real people. I will admit there were parts I had to skim in one chapter as the abuse in the holding therapy tales were too disturbing.

I've never understood the relationship between trauma and neglect with developmental delays and sociopathic behavior. This book gave me a crash course and it really made sense.

I did find that a couple of the case studies from the book seemed hauntingly familiar to my own step sons. It's hard for me to see this- because in the case studies-- most kids did not have to go back into the trauma. In my step sons case, I know they have to spend time still with BPDmom who really did neglect them as babies and toddlers and then further traumatized them as they got older.
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The good news is that H and I are doing the right things here and my SS 9,10, 15 are with us 90% of the time. That good, loving, consistent care after trauma is the best predictor of later success in life for these kids.

This is a very good book for parents and clinicians. I would recommend this book for those co-parenting with a PD parent as well as those just interested in the effects of trauma, abuse, neglect on the brain.

It does offer some concrete suggestions and hope for those who see signs in their children of possible earlier or continuing abuse.

[Firefly]

Latchkey, I'm so glad you read it and found it useful. I was bothered by the holding too. Who could possibly do that and not realize it was damaging? Thanks for your review...you brought up new aspects...I think this book should be required reading.

[Latchkey]

Latchkey, I'm so glad you read it and found it useful. I was bothered by the holding too. Who could possibly do that and not realize it was damaging? Thanks for your review...you brought up new aspects...I think this book should be required reading.

You know I was watching a SVU episode months ago and the 'holding therapy' or something like it was featured in the death of a child. 

Thanks for recommending the book. It has been eye opening.