I have observed the effective response of the DORE program on some of their clients. However research suggests multiple causative factors exist. Therefore an effective treatment program will also require a range of practitioners with the specific training to evaluate the various causative factors.

When a DORE centre opened in my area I attended the opening. I was impressed by the techniques used to assess and retrain physical and cognitive function.

However I was a little concerned that assessment missed out evaluating and treating one well documented underlying cause of symptoms.

The role of common neurotoxic chemical exposure in youngsters is an underlying factor for symptoms. This is now becoming better recognized: -http://fluoridealert.org/scientific.consensus.nov.2007.pdf

When I approached to the DORE centre to see if they could look at the role of neurotoxic chemical exposure from diet and environment, it seemed there was no capacity to evaluate the science provided to them. That is not unusual as we find the same situation with neurologists who limit themselves to treating the symptoms with medication.

Research facilities providing research trials investigating new developmental therapies will be one way to get the solid research basis required for any change in medical treatment protocols.

The lack of that research basis was a major criticism leading to the DORE program being excluded as a recognized health care approach to treatment. If effective non-drug treatments are to continue and grow, it would be valuable to avoid that happening a second time round.

The DORE Program has helped many thousands of people in Australia and around the world since its humble beginnings in the garage of Wynford Dore, the founder of the controversial program. The remarkable rise and success of this program over the last decade is now only surpassed by its even more dramatic demise. For the clients and staff involved in the program this a catastrophic conclusion.

As a former staff member I feel it is a real shame that the DORE centres have closed. They operated with a high level of integrity and dedication. Staff were passionate about the program and genuinely caring towards the clients. I saw excellent results in many cases when I worked there a few years ago. Though most clients were on the program much longer than 12 months they weren’t charged any additional fees. For all the success of the DORE program there was, in my opinion, some critical limitations.

One area of limitation included a lack of advice on general health and nutrition. Since exercise was their main focus and they were doing a lot of very time consuming tests there wasn’t any time for consideration of diet. A more holistic approach, however, is more likely to help a greater number of people.

Another major problem, I believe, was inadequate stimulation from some of the exercises. Somatosensory based exercises, for example, stimulate the cerebellum through musculoskeletal receptors. Any restricted motion particularly in the spine, hips or ankles would therefore limit the amount of stimulation. Many of the clients I observed had terrible postures and would have multiple restrictions. This may be one of the reasons some alternative therapies such as chiropractic have, at least anecdotally and in some small published studies, demonstrated improvements in mood, behaviour and concentration.

Opponents of the program point to a the lack of research but this in not necessarily true. The cerebellar developmental delay hypothesis was in part based on the ground-breaking work of Jeremy Schmahmann. Dr Schmahmann found that the cerebellum influenced cognition and behaviour in addition to coordinating movement. fMRI and EEG studies have also found that Autism, ADHD and other psychotic illness strongly correlate both to undersized and under functioning cerebellums. The DORE program did perform research and was intending to continue to do so but the area of learning difficulties requires far more resources than DORE could provide.

If nothing else good comes from the closure of DORE, the government must realize the enormous need for non-drug based interventions (i.e. developmental based therapies). At times a centre was being opened nearly every second month just to meet the demand. Many clients traveled large distances, even as far as Hong Kong to have assessments every 6 weeks.

Lack of consensus of the causes of behaviour, learning and attentional difficulties and therefore the appropriate therapies and the inevitable lack of funding has limited the application of developmental therapies. Many relatively small therapies such as Brain Gym, sensory integration therapies and biofeedback, for example, have remained the tools of only an impassioned few.

The now unfortunate clients of the DORE program seem destined to be left to their own devices, to again sift through the diverse range and often competing approaches to learning difficulties. Though there may not be an immediate solution for these people, there could be a longer term solution.

There needs to be a national forum supported by the government and a broad range of practitioners with the specific objective of achieving a consensus on managing and treating learning difficulties and related conditions. It should also act as an unbiased resource providing extensive and detailed information on all the different types of therapies. Unfortunately the learning difficulties therapist and research community is really non-existent and remains dispersed and largely un-connected. Groups are often very ‘patch’ protective as they compete for limited funding.

There also needs to be institutionally based research facilities that provide opportunities for collaboration between multiple professions and practitioners. The ability to readily combine different specialties would radically enhance the clinical effectiveness of research currently being conducted.

As a practitioner with a passion for the area of behaviour, learning and attention difficulties I know there are many like minded professionals that would be very keen to support the former clients of DORE. There may be research trials investigating developmental therapies that they might be able to be a part of without having to invest any money. Preliminary discussions are underway to develop a new national forum and establish collaborative research facilities. There are also a few support groups that they can get more information from.

The loss of DORE isn’t the end of the road for those with learning difficulties. My advice to those affected, both the suffers and there families, is to do what you can to seek out other therapies, they each can be of some benefit, keep as far as possible hope for the future and in the mean time get good nutrition into your bodies, exercise and find joy, support and love from those around you.

There is a support forum available for clients, families, staff and others concerned about the collapse of DORE and other issues related to behaviour, learning and attention difficulties. There people can talk about what is happening, get support, gather ideas, share information and experiences and create a collective voice. Go to Yahoo groups, Dore Support Forum for more information. A search of the Internet will also give you some good ideas.

The majority of your sale teams were desperate people, some people hid that desperation better than others. You included. You employed these people. Take some responsibility?
You approved many of the questionable sale tactics to help massage the sales figures.
Having briefly known you, your concern for the childern and staff lacks any sincerity.

There were many reasons why Dore has had to shut. In the many years it operated it failed to undergo any meaningful research which made it open to attacks from critics. The expansion into a sports programme again without any reserach was done on a whim. Celebs coming out everywhere endorsing the product (one would ask at what cost). Possible low completion rates. I could go on and on and on.
The sad thing is that he had the money and an opportunity to have made a real difference.
Over the years he has either lost of sacked scores of talented people that could have driven the programme forward, but they were never allowed to do so. As one person said on another blogsite, it was either his way or the highway, she was his first reserch director.
I am truely saddened for the many many children and adults tyhat have been left high and dry. Also some of the staff.