Ask Wynford Dore
Wynford Dore, founder of the Dore Achievement Centres is a man who, depending on your point of view, is either revolutionising the treatment of learning difficulties or is taking advantage of desperate parents. Since opening his first clinic (then called DDAT) five years ago to help his daughter’s dyslexia the company has expanded and now has 25 clinics in the UK, USA, Australia and New Zealand with more soon to open. At over £1500 per treatment programme it is not cheap and the science has been criticised by some of the UK’s top dyslexia researchers.
Now you have a chance to ask Wynford Dore whatever you like.
Post a comment below with your question and I will compile them into a list to be sent to Wyndford Dore who has promised to answer them as fully as possible. Ask him about the science behind the treatment, about the costs of the treatment, its success rate, the claims made for the treatment or anything else.
UPDATE: Ask Wynford Dore: The Ten Questions
UPDATE: Wynford Dore has responded to the ten questions – Ask Wynford Dore: The Ten Answers
Related posts:
- Wynford Dore on BBC Radio 5 Live
- Dore Deceptive and Abusive Advertising
- Dore Achievement Centres on TV
- The Dore Foundation
- Dore Centres / DDAT
January 28th, 2006
Dore Achievement Centres
Comments on: Ask Wynford Dore
What methods of teaching reading do you use?
Posted by: Victoria Haliburton January 29th, 2006 at 8:50 pm
You are devaluating dyslexia from a serious disorder to a personal problem that can be cured.
Any dyslectic that isn’t cured has his/herself to blame then?
Posted by: Angélique Kerkhoffs January 29th, 2006 at 9:44 pm
Hello,
What do I tell my 10 yr daughter if this does not work?
My daughter is very athletic and coordinated. Does she still qualify for the program?
What is the success rate?
How much does it cost if she does not improve?
Thank You
Dan
Posted by: Dan Lee February 2nd, 2006 at 6:35 pm
Please can you explain to me why your program is so expensive and also why, if it is as successful as you claim, it is not offered to all schools? I’m writing on behalf of my partner who is desperate to find help and feels like his dyslexia is alsways holding him back. As you will appreciate it can be very depressing for us both. Unfortunately we do not have millions at our disposal and therefore your charge is impossible for us. From a personal point of view what else could we try?
Thanks,
Katy Marks
Posted by: david slade February 5th, 2006 at 11:28 am
Unlike many we are on the start of our discovery and have found teachers to be helpful [but not well resourced] and funnily enough have no understanding of dyslexia, apart from the media hype.
The recent Toyah article promoting Dore centres almost ridicules her problems in childhood and as is the case with the UK finds it hard to celebrate a brilliant woman with a fantastic career! Indeed she is more skilled and reports great success. Reading the article I thought this woman was hiding in a box until she went to Dore.
We are intereted in the results and the programme and I would ask you to be careful of your PR as your agency needs stronger guidance if dyslexia is not to be cheapened.
Do you have any access to organisations who can fund for your programmes e.g. from charities, trusts or the NHS?
Do you have any examples of parents getting funding provided? If so, how – share the experience.
Recent public pressure has made the NHS provide big money cancer drugs…so lets do it here too. Lets face it, these problems are more wide spread and should have a strong voice!
Posted by: Paul Roberts February 6th, 2006 at 9:49 pm
I’ve been a clinical nutritionist for 40 years & I can tell you quite emphatically that ADD & ADHD are due to, a great extent, addictive allergy, that is, eating a food or combinations of foods too frequently(more often than once every approximately five days), repetitively & topically applied material or the repeated inhalation of gases, molds, chemicals, etc. I would like to speak with Mr. Dore, as I have much to tell him of this very profound protocol. Dr. Marshall Mandell has over 40 years clinical success with this program. His books are readily available on the internet used book sites. The two most important are “Dr. Mandell’s Five Day Allergy Relief System” & “Dr. Mandell’s Lifetime Arthritis Relief System”. The latter is principally for the unique food family listing which is essential in ferreting out the offending substances. I hope Mr. Dore will contact me so the afflicted children’s problems can be resolved. Sincerly, David Rabstein
Posted by: David Rabstein February 17th, 2006 at 1:56 pm
Hello
I have a child who has ADHD and compulsive disorder. I have a chance to do the programm however it worries me that it will not work. I have read information about it working and not working. I really need to know whether this will work if I my child sticks to the exercises. I also need to know if the change will only be minimal. Please help
Regards Maria
Posted by: maria.wheatley May 29th, 2006 at 10:59 pm
Maria – If you were to ask Mr Dore whether his programme works if you do the exercises, then he will say yes.
My opinion is that these exercises will work for the vast majority of children IF THE EXERCISES ARE DONE EVERYDAY. This is a big IF. It is very hard to keep at it over a long period.
The programme does work though. It worked for me and made a huge difference to my life. Its worked for lots of other people as well.
Chris
Posted by: Chris Tregenza May 30th, 2006 at 9:20 am
You should check out http://www.Learningbreakthrough.com. This site provides an exercise program and equipment that was the basis for the development of the Dore program, however it costs only $398 vs. $4000.
Posted by: alfred mann July 24th, 2006 at 4:35 pm
Wynford Dore has categorically denied that Learning Breakthrough was the basis of the Dore programme.
He says that this common myth misunderstanding happened because in an early publication about the Dore treatment its was described as ‘similar to the Learning Breakthrough Treatment’.
For Myomancy’s take on the Learning Breakthrough programme, see here: http://www.myomancy.com/2006/02/learning_breakt.html
Chris
Posted by: Chris Tregenza July 25th, 2006 at 10:51 am
my names JEff and i have been on the Dore program for about 6-7 months,and i can honestly say that my catching and writing skills have increased alot my memory has also increased,but my concentration has not increased alot..
The Dore program is worth the money if you can afford it i am lucky enough my parents did.
The question is-HOW much are your kids worth?
Posted by: jeff July 29th, 2006 at 6:28 am
The only peer reviewed research published about the Dore program clearly gives the Learning Breakthrough Program as the example of the balance remediation training program that was the basis for the development of the Dore program. Mr. Dore denies this because one can purchase the Learning Breakthrough Program for under $400 vs. $4000 for the Dore program. One does exercises at home every day with either program, the difference being the Dore people perform a series of tests. Save yourself a lot of money and go to http://www.learningbreakthrough.com to read all about this program that has been around since 1982.
Posted by: Hanson Jones July 29th, 2006 at 10:04 pm
My daughter was diagnosed 4 yrs ago with a condition called congenital cerebellar hyperplasia. Her cerebellum has not developed properly and she has no balance, co-ordination and has general delayed development. We have been doing physio, occupational and speech therapy for the past 4 yrs on a daily basis. Although there has been a vast improvement, She is now 6 yrs old and is unable to walk on her own. Do you think the Dore approach or technique could help my daughter. We live in Zimbabwe and I believe there is a clinic in Durban, SA. Please advise.
Regards
Sonja Hense
Posted by: SONJA HENSE September 27th, 2006 at 8:17 pm
Can you work with kidw who have Auditory Language Disorder? What’s the difference between your program and the Drake Institute?
Posted by: Joniene Burnell October 13th, 2006 at 11:35 pm
I thought I might ask everyone for their advice and opinions regarding a decision I have to make that will affect my Grandchildren’s prospects for future, so please bear with me as I’m new to the internet and even newer to forums.
We have several grandchildren and of those one aged 10 has recently been diagnosed as suffering from ADHD and is taking Ritalin® (methylphenidate) and two younger ones aged 4 and 6 who are thought to be dyslexic.
I have read up on the subject as I was unfamiliar with both conditions as they seemed not to have existed when I was at school.
The choice seems to be on the one hand advising my daughters-in law, who both have dyslexia in their extended families, to commit their children’s lives to taking class A type drugs for the foreseeable future which will undoubtedly pre-dispose them to becoming drug addicts in the usual sense for the rest of their lives (seems we have enough “junkies” already). The other choice is to look for an alternative therapy that can help, although without the side effects.
Below are just some of the issues that concern me as they would any parent and must have confronted many here who have had to make such a desperate choice.
Wickipeadia
“The similarities between methylphenidate and cocaine have prompted concern that the unknown dangers of methylphenidate could be similar to the known dangers of cocaine irritability; nervousness; stomach aches; headaches; dry mouth; blurry vision; nausea; dizziness; drowsiness; motor tics or tremors. Up to 5% of children experience disturbing hallucinations often involving worms, snakes, or insects”
I read that In the USA a number of legal actions have been mounted against the Manufacturer and others.
“The first class action lawsuit was filed in District Court for Cameron County, Texas on May 1, 2000 by attorney Andy Waters. The case was later moved to federal court in Dallas. In the complaint, plaintiffs alleged that Ciba/Novartis conspired with the American Psychiatric Association “to create, develop, promote, and confirm the diagnoses” of ADD and ADHD “in a highly successful effort to increase the market for its product Ritalin.” This effort included providing active support to advocacy groups like CHADD, “so that such organizations would promote and support (as a supposed neutral party) the ever-increasing implementation of the ADD/ADHD diagnosis as well as directly increasing Ritalin sales.”
“Three national organizations are named as defendants: (1) Novartis (formerly Ciba Geigy), the manufacturer of Ritalin, (2) CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder), a parents’ organization that is partially funded by drug companies, and (3) the American Psychiatric Association”.
Whilst I never had much faith in Psychiatry, not since I was taught that all males have a repressed desire to sleep with their mothers, according to Freud I believe, I was shocked to learn that all over America children are being taken away from their families if the parents refuse to give the drugs to their children and that, according to the DEA, the production of Ritalin is up 500% in the past five years, who is taking all this?
Personally I am anti- drugs as I guess is every parent and try to lead a healthy life and brought my children up to be the same. Are children being taken away here yet?
So that’s one choice.
The other alternatives seem to include tinted glasses, the Dore treatment and other exercise based programes, although I have not read much about the glasses and the other treatments I seem to find Dore all over the web.
What strikes me as strange is that many people claim to have had positive results going through the Dore program and they seem to be widely spread across the world and yet it seems to be attacked by some of the “experts”. The phrase “the experts are baffled springs to mind” being a cynical person I remain to be convinced by experts.
I’m a great believer in natural remedies but don’t want to impose my beliefs on my grandchildren. Does anyone have an opinion as to why this should be other than it seems that it has not been “scientifically” tested?
I have almost formed a view but would be interested to read what others say on the issues. Many thanks in advance.
Tom
Posted by: tom November 4th, 2006 at 1:21 pm
Where is the nearest Dore centre to Chippenham in Wiltshire, England. Please
Posted by: Mrs.C. Denton January 8th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
Two questions,firstly do you rate Ritalin and would it interfere with your treatment? For example how will you know if its the medication or your treatment that is working? Secondly what are your thoughts about the research that says this is a problem of the frontal lobe?
Posted by: warren cripps May 18th, 2007 at 9:32 pm
Hello my name is Rob Wheeldon. I’m dyslexic adult who has worked the last 10 years on the fitness industry, and recently graduated Sheffield Hallam University. Like many adult dyslexics. I’ve found a great deal of challenges both in the workplace and in education. Recently, I started incorporating balance training in the form of gymnastic rings and the balance into my routine.
This has had the unforeseen effect of making the much more creative. I’ve recently started performing on stage and have had one of my poems read out on radio one. Here’s an example of something I wrote about fellow dyslexic Albert Einstein
Relativity rap
E equals energy
M equals mass
and this Mc sparks the time to pass
the square root of two holds the whole thing together
the workings of this process are both elegant and clever
All the chav’s think they are real clever
With their Burberry hats and eyes to close together
But check Einstein he wrote the line
Relativity he found divine
Mass and energy is the same thing
E=mc squared is da bling
A curved prism light gave Newton insight
That classical unstable thermodynamics is the structural wave form which moves the planets
The sun is a changeable force with a moving boundary which gives heat and light to you and me
Spectral light emissions cause the effect that curves space/ time to a constant effect
Nuclear fusion will cause no confusion
If you get over the simple delusion
That every thing is in a fixed state
That’s not how particles interrelate
I understood Newtonian physics at school for every action an opposite I was no fool
Well Dense energy equals mass they didn’t teach me that in class.
Compressed energy is released in a dance a physical activity not left too chance
All the sums must balance out and that’s what stars are all about
Well a black hole it has no mass
Progress and motion towards its devotion
No light escapes this Euclidian potion
Into what dimension does the energy emerge
The whole damn thing is truly absurd
Now please don’t see this as a retraction
Let me illustrate this action
One two three all states emerge, mass and light and energy
Extend from a singularity.
Unleashed potential all around and that was how the light was found
With energy the world resounds there’s are always motion where light is found
E and mc squared gets it together and creates all kinds of cosmic weather
Photons and electrons perform the trick that lets the clockwork universe tick
It is not clockwork Newton’s bucket was wrong but try making that into a song
The Lambda principle lets there be light who’s to say it’s not cosmologically right?
A balanced creation of energy that created everything mysteriously
Electrons and photons Like to dance and will interact given half a chance
Too all of us its quite clear the earths a sphere
You can not see the curve off the earth for its mighty girth
The curve of the line resting on the equator
Is the truth of the now in the past and the later
The point of an arrow that curves on a dime
This is the essence of circular time, gravity curves nature too a constant degree
And even time is a singularity
Come on now, and don’t be morons
Just innovate your interneurons
With its strange polarity existing on every scale
The perfect geometry off this tale
The golden ratio that makes every thing go
It’s the strangest thing that we all know
The Wheeler-DeWitt equation freezes time
The Tachyon is faster than the speed of light and into history it sets flight
I hope this rhyme found the time to show you that phyics is so sublime
Posted by: Rob Wheeldon August 3rd, 2007 at 11:22 am
Hi I have a son who has Partial Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum and Mega Cisterna Magna. Development Delay. We currently attend speech theropy, occupational theropy, physio, eye specialist, and foot specialist. He currently attends early intervention. I know he has the ability to learn but learning will be difficult. His condition is sometimes seen as Dyslexia and or ADHD. But our MRI shows the above. My son has similar conditions to both dyslexia and ADHD. He is a very loving boy and to meet him for the first time, one would not recognise anything is wrong. That is until he has tantrum social and does not care that others are around. He has a tremor in his hands,is unbalanced, finds it hard to catch a ball and attention is a problem.
I would be interested to know if this programme could help my son as I know that he can learn. Recently, out of nowhere he recognised some numbers and this was a shock to me. I believe he is stimulating a different part of his brian as he is retaining information and learning but learning slowly.
I would really appreciate a response from Mr Dore and would like to know if there has been anyone with the same or similar condition on the programme and what was or is the progress.
Many thanks
Posted by: Caroline D August 23rd, 2007 at 9:40 am
It might be I ain’t so quick of the block, after taking part in the programme for 13 month’s, my memory in still crap,mind you I am 53. My son on the other hand has developed very well whilst on the programme, he is 10 years old. I might add the staff in Cardiff Dore centre are very professional people, dedicated. I would delight in saying my memory is improved. I have a few more weeks left on the course, I am hopeful.Would be grateful to any comments. I recommend this programme, based on how I see my son has developed
regards christopher
Posted by: christopher heath August 28th, 2007 at 10:07 am
What is your son’s condition?
Posted by: Caroline D August 31st, 2007 at 1:45 pm
I am 51 years old and have multiple Tics on and off since I was about 13 years old. No Doctor has been able to help me. I do not have Tourette’s Syndrome.
Can you suggest anything.
Thanks.
Posted by: tina November 26th, 2007 at 8:14 pm
Please can you explain to me why your program is so expensive R23, 000.00 is a lot of money. Why is it not offered to all schools? I’m writing as I am in desperate need to find help for my 11year old son. I feel like his dyslexia is alsways holding him back.I would love to put him on your programm but unfortunately I do not have that kind of money at my disposa. Is there anything else I can do to help my son.
Kind regards
desperate mom Monica
Posted by: Monica Herman January 29th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
Why does it cost more in Australia to complete the course than it does in the UK?
Posted by: Anna February 19th, 2008 at 2:57 am
Hi Mr Dore
I have Dyslexia and would like to take you class but donot have the money I live in Newport Beach Ca. I have been trying to get the money form my parents and they said no also tryed to get grants and that did not work I have Dyslexia and attinson different learningf problesms. I tryed to get help at your newport beach area and a month latter they never calleds me back If you could let me pay 2,000 dollars then I can come to your class I also thryed a school eight years ago It didnt help any that cost 5,0000 dollars Can you please help mei I really want to do your program. Thank you Sherrie Morhar 949 548-1866 or 626 201-9553 If I do not answer.
Posted by: Sherrie Morhar May 13th, 2008 at 11:01 pm
Whether or not the Dore programme will work or not depends on exactly what your problems are caused. For eg for some people with dyslexia it is a phonological processing disorder. I know of one dyslexic who gets bright flashes of light when he tries to read – maybe to do with the shape of the retina? This is what happens when your retina is threatening to detach. His coordination and balance, memory and concentration are more than superb – it is a different kind of problem that stops him from reading. Others again seem to have a problem with early reflexes development.
See Peter Blythe: http://www.inpp.org.uk/
I have a friend with non-dyslexia learning difficulties whose abilities and life changed enormously for the better after doing a programme with INPP.
Uta Frith did some research to test the cerebellar hypothesis:
http://cogprints.org/2349/
Conclusion: This study provides partial support for the presence of motor problems in dyslexic children, but does not support the hypothesis that a cerebellar dysfunction is the cause of their phonological and reading impairment.
Though I would like to see the full list of tests she used.
It is clear that a lot of people are helped by the Dore programme, for whatever reason. However, much of it does seem to be based on Dr Belgau’s Balametrics (long standing research and successful programme). This is much cheaper than the Dore programme, so parents who cannot afford Dore might look at the Balametrics website, and how about getting together in groups to purchase Balametrics materials? I know it would depend on finding enough people nearby who need it, but I suspect that there are so many adults and kids who have dyslexic and other learning difficulties who are not getting proper help that this would not be impossible. Advertise locally. People in the USA can check on local access to Balametrics.
The other research that contributed to Wynford Dore’s end product was Dr Levinson’s work. He also identified inner ear & cerebellar problems, but uses medications (eg anti-motion sickness antihistamines). I would not do this without testing and only with a doctor.
However, balance testing can be done under the NHS, if you can persuade your GP or Community Paediatrician to refer you. They use that equipment that whizzes you around – is this the same as the Dore equipment?
I found out that the community paediatrician assessment is somewhat lacking. The paediatric OT only tested for my child being unable to put two skills together, whereas he can do two but not three. The paediatrician did not know what specialism was the right one for testing my son to find out why he was getting dizziness and vomiting when he tried to read. And it took years and years – we were defeated in the end.
Posted by: vivat May 27th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
And I forgot – people with ADHD might want to try taking fish oils – not Cod Liver oil in high doses as this can cause problems for the liver, and not for anyone taking blood thinning medication. Research is suggesting it can help people with ADHD who also have dyslexia-type problems. Oils can work in a synergistic way.
Check the research on this webpage:
http://www.myomancy.com/2006/07/adhd_and_omega_
Also Dr Angela Richardson’s research and more is on the website of the charity Food and Behaviour Research.
The major problems at the moment with all this seem to be that:
There is not enough research being done, not enough funding, nor enough money for assessments and for helping children with learning difficulties.
There are research groupings that each favour their own hypothesis and fight for it, with individuals involved who seem unable to understand that there are different causes for similar symptoms, and that often people have more complex developmental disabilities that do not fall totally into one category or another. This goes for Wynford Dore & DDAT as well. Not everyone with dyslexia or other learning difficulties will benefit from this programme.
The Dore reseach was badly designed – this is a huge shame as I am sure properly designed research would have shown the benefits of the Dore programme. As it is, the bad research design has resulted in the cerebellar hypothesis and Dore programme being left wide open to criticism, rather than being taken seriously.
For proper research proof there have to be control groups, you have to be very careful over selection of test subjects, and neither the people working with the children, nor the children and parents, must know which exercises, control or Dore, they are working with, and it needs to be repeated with large enough groups. This is very difficult to achieve, especially as the Dore programme has had a lot of publicity.
For parents of children with for eg seizures, and some other developmental difficulties, I would definitely check with the hospital consultant before putting my child into the Dore programme. That means getting full information on the programme to give the consultant.
Posted by: vivat May 27th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
Dear Mr Dore,
My granddaughter did not display any of the symptoms of dyspraxia, dyslexia, Aspergers. Your Doctor concluded – cerebella underdevelopment. She has been disruptive for quite sometime. We did not know why, although thinking back at the age of 5 she displayed adult body odours which was helped with deodorant. We thought your program might be able to help with her disruptive behaviour but it made matters worse. She has now been put on a low dose hormone pill and her improvement is already marked. What she had was simply a hormonal imbalance which was not recognised and reported. We are now left with a hefty bill with your finance company only 5 months into a treatment which you should never have offered to my granddaughter. Could you please contact Zebra finance and call off these payments for a program which should never have been offered to us.I am a pensioner paying £75 each month for a hormonal imbalance in a child, the correct treatment is a low dose hormone pill free from her Doctor. Please email me with your reply.
Thank you
Grace
Posted by: Grace Wilson August 4th, 2008 at 9:33 pm
What is moderation and why am I awaiting this moderation. Please explain?
Posted by: Grace Wilson August 4th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
Grace -
In order to prevent spam, all new comments are checked and approved by me personally. If you register [ http://www.myomancy.com/user-register ] your comments will be automatically posted.
Chris
Posted by: myomancy August 5th, 2008 at 9:18 am
Grace,
I think you may have some statatory legal protection if you used a finance company and the service company went bust.
I suggest you get some advice from Citizens Advice. Dont accept any answer from Dore/Zebra as they dont appear to be very upfront at telling people what they are legally entitled to.
Please let us know how you get on.
Posted by: Tom August 5th, 2008 at 11:03 pm
Thank you Tom for this information. I will take up your advice and visit the CAB in my area. I promise that I will let you know the outcome.
Grace.
Posted by: Grace Wilson August 9th, 2008 at 11:12 pm
Grace
You might want to listen the following Radio 4 programme on Friday 15th August, being aired this week.
12.30: FACE THE FACTS: The Dore Programme: controversial treatment for dyslexia has gone bust.
The programme is repeated, I believe on Sunday at 9pm or you will be able to listen to the programme over the internet.
The programme might give you some useful advice and contacts.
All the best
Posted by: Via August 10th, 2008 at 10:20 pm
Grace
You might want to consider oontacting BBC Radio 4 before they air the programme.
I’m sure the programme makers would be interested in your experience with the company Dore.
If you go to the BBC Radio 4 website you can email the details of your own account and experience with Dore.
Thanks
Posted by: Via August 11th, 2008 at 7:25 am