Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, is a term that is thrown around quite wantonly these days. It seems that any kid that won’t sit still for two minutes is branded with it. However, for a growing segment of the population, ADHD is more than a simple phrase; it’s a very real condition that can make life difficult for both those afflicted with it and for the people they care about.
According to Parent ADHD Coach Cindy Goldrich, the disorder is often misunderstood and one of the biggest misconceptions is how common it’s becoming. The latest statistics state that 9.5 percent of all school-age children have some form of ADHD, Goldrich noted, and because of that high number, it’s vitally important for teachers and parents to understand what exactly the condition entails and how to best treat it.
“ADHD is a neuro-biological disorder; it’s something that you’re born with, and you can’t catch or develop it,” said Goldrich. “Someone with ADHD has a harder time restricting themselves from doing certain things, a harder time regulating themselves and their attention, or hyperfocus on certain things but not notice others,” she continued, adding that ADHD has nothing to do with intelligence as people can be extremely smart but not perform as well as they could be.
Goldrich, a former Plainview resident who now resides in Syosset, specializes in working with parents of ADHD-afflicted youth, providing education, support, coaching and teacher training in various school districts on Long Island. Originally starting her career as a mental health counselor, Goldrich was inspired to transition over to ADHD support when she saw how widespread occurrences of the condition were becoming, and as a result pursued specialized training in dealing with its treatment.
She is also a co-founder of the Long Island Professionals ADHD Consortium, which was started three years ago in order for workers in the field of ADHD treatment to be able to more effectively network and communicate treatment strategies amongst one another.
“The goal was to gather professionals across Long Island who work with people who have ADHD,” said Goldrich. “This way, we can exchange ideas with individuals who specialize in different disciplines, learn from one another and be able to refer our patients to the right people who have the ability to treat them in the way that suits them best.”
Dr. Kimberly Williams, a Pediatric Neuropsychologist and Clinical Psychologist from Brooklyn, is a co-founder of the Long Island Professionals ADHD Consortium along with Goldrich; the two were former colleagues at the Long Island branch of the New York University Child Study Center.
Initially, the ADHD Consortium started out with just its two founding members, however, Williams noted that the membership ballooned rapidly due to the fact that there is a very real need for this type of organization in the field of ADHD treatment.
“We wanted to be able to talk to other ADHD professionals about research, the latest treatments, findings and the latest cases,” said Williams. “It got big very fast because not only do we connect with other clinicians, psychologists, neurologists and pediatricians, but we connect with lawyers, special education advocates, occupational therapists, tutors, any professional that provides service to individuals with ADHD or executive functioning issues, we want you here.”
The Consortium has recently decided to make the Plainview-Old Bethpage Public Library their new home base for regular meetings, which are currently held on the last Friday of each month.
“The Plainview Library is brand new for us. We’ve had many different host sites since we began, but this is the first time we’ve had one set site,” said Williams. “It’s a lovely facility and the auditorium is perfect for our needs.”
Since its inception, Long Island Professionals ADHD Consortium has held monthly meetings featuring lectures, guest speakers and other informational attractions to benefit both its fellows and members of the general public, who are also welcome and encouraged to attend.
“The work the Consortium has managed to do in its short lifespan has worked wonders and its commutative innovations amongst ADHD pros is inspiring other such groups to form across the nation,” said Goldrich.
While ADHD can be a serious issue when not properly treated, with the right care, the disorder can actually be channeled into something positive. Goldrich noted such examples as swimmer Michael Phelps, who despite (or perhaps because of) his ADHD diagnosis has become the most decorated Olympic athlete in history.
“It’s been wonderful. We’re pulling out the people who really understand what it is to work with ADHD,” said Goldrich. “We’re working with each other more, we’re cross-referring more and we’re getting more support for people.”
To find out more about the Long Island Professionals ADHD Consortium, visit their website at www.lipac.org.
