November 28, 2003

Dore’s drug-free method treats learning disabilities

LOUISVILLE — A child sits on a large bouncy ball — feet off the ground — going up and down. At the same time, the child tosses a beanbag from one hand to another.

Looks like a typical scene of a child at play. But it’s not. It’s really a medical treatment for learning disabilities.

Medical professionals are striking at the source of those disabilities — the brain. And they’re doing it through exercises designed to strengthen the cerebellum — the part of the brain believed to be the culprit behind those disabilities.

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Experts say the exercises build neural pathways so the cerebellum processes information more normally.

The company behind the work? Dore Achievement Centers with U.S. headquarters in Louisville.

Dore is the U.S. extension of Dyslexia Dyspraxia Attention deficit Treatment, also called DDAT, based in the United Kingdom where it works to help children and adults affected by dyslexia, motor-skill problems and attention deficit disorder.

Wynford Dore founded DDAT in the United Kingdom after his daughter was diagnosed with dyslexia. After years of extensive research, Dore’s team developed exercises to stimulate an under-functioning cerebellum. Research showed progress in reading, comprehension and writing among children and adults who underwent the program at DDAT clinics in the United Kingdom.

In November 2002, Dore opened its pilot U.S. center in Fort Worth, Texas. In May, Dore opened four centers in Boston, Chicago, Phoenix and Denver. The company plans further expansion in additional U.S. markets next year.

Dore officials say they expanded to the United States because of demand. They say learning difficulties such as dyslexia, motor skill problems and ADD/ADHD are prevalent among U.S. children and adults, and that Dore expects significant demand for the program here.

According to the Learning Disabilities Association of America, more than 5 percent of school-age children suffer from learning disabilities. Dore estimates that one in six people are affected by learning disabilities. The figures differ apparently because Dore includes adults in its numbers.

“Essentially, Dore is a drug-free treatment for children and adults with learning disabilities like dyslexia, ADD and ADHD,” says Alicia Olson, the public relations manager for Dore in Louisville. “Each client is given a customized exercise program that targets the cerebellum and regenerates neural pathways so that information is processed correctly.”

Although response time varies among all clients, the program typically lasts eight to 12 months. Olson says the cost is $2,500 for 12 months of treatment, and insurance is not accepted. Exercises are performed twice a day for up to 10 minutes per session.

Dore is a for-profit entity and is funded by private investors.

Not everyone believes it does work, so Dore set his sites on proof. Last year, he funded a six-month study at a school in England where 35 kids with varying degrees of dyslexia took part. The study claimed reading fluency grew with “highly significant improvement.”

But the dyslexia establishment criticized the study. According to a report by CBS News, Shirley Cramer, the head of the Dyslexia Institute in Britain, has said the study was too small, its methods flawed, and its claims “are just overblown.”

Dr. Bert Dech, a psychiatrist with Children’s Hospital in Denver, says there’s simply not enough research in the area. And as for treating attention problems with stimulants, Dech says that area “has plenty of research.”

“In fact, treating attention problems with stimulants has had the most research in all of child psychiatry,” Dech says. “I know that the research we have now shows that medicine works better than any other method of treatment. I’m not saying other methods don’t work, it’s just lacking research.”

And Ted May, director of University Disability Services for the University of Denver, says there are studies that show children with ADD who took medicine are less likely to become substance abusers when they become adults.

Dore says more than 10,000 clients worldwide have benefited in the past two years. Most of those clients began in the spring of 2002, and many of them are just now finishing the program.

Olson says students regularly report a higher level of achievement in school, and adults experience better work performance, organizational skills and confidence. She says clients also experience significantly improved motor skills, including writing, sports, balance and coordination.

Dore officials say the program is equally effective for adults and children affected by learning disorders. However, because the cerebellum is a relatively slow-developing part of the nervous system, Dore recommends that clients do not begin treatment until the age 7.

“Following an initial assessment, we prescribe a customized, daily exercise program and measure the progress every six weeks,” says Todd Ordal, president and chief executive officer of Dore Achievement Centers. “In a matter of months, our clients can dramatically improve reading, writing, comprehension, coordination and even factors like self-esteem and general happiness.”

Ordal says many children affected by learning difficulties are taught to cope with and learn to accept their learning difficulties.

“We disagree with that approach,” says Ordal. “Why spend your life coping with a learning disorder, when research indicates addressing the root cause of the problem can reduce or even eliminate the symptoms?”

Dore says there are no “specific long-term effects or dangers” of the program. Clients may experience slight, brief balance disturbances during specific exercises for balance stimulation. Some clients may also experience short-term mood changes.

Clients are referred to Dore by their physicians and specialists, special needs support teachers, or friends who have personal experience with the program. Sometimes doctors may prescribe the initial exercises after careful assessment of the client. Then Dore specialists monitor and analyze progress and develop a more comprehensive, individualized exercise program for the client.

Dore says the formal data on client results will be released in the near future, once a sufficient number have completed the program.

LOUISVILLE — A child sits on a large bouncy ball — feet off the ground — going up and down. At the same time, the child tosses a beanbag from one hand to another.

Looks like a typical scene of a child at play. But it’s not. It’s really a medical treatment for learning disabilities.

Medical professionals are striking at the source of those disabilities — the brain. And they’re doing it through exercises designed to strengthen the cerebellum — the part of the brain believed to be the culprit behind those disabilities.

Experts say the exercises build neural pathways so…

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