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Exercise-Based Program Treats Learning Disabilities

Unique Method Comes To Boston

POSTED: 1:45 pm EDT August 5, 2003
UPDATED: 5:31 pm EDT August 5, 2003

A unique way of treating people with learning disabilities has come to Boston.

Video
NewsCenter 5's Heather Unruh reported that the Dore Achievement Center in Wellesley offers an exercise-based program used by more than 10,000 kids in the United Kingdom.

While 10-year-old Kevin Colford kick boxes, brother Brian bounces and John stretches with his eyes closed. It is simple, but targeted exercises designed to stimulate an under functioning part of their brain.

"We believe passionately that the cerebellum is the root basis of all these different problems, and by getting the cerebellum to work better, the affect is to make the thinking brain allow these skills to develop more appropriately," Dore Achievement Center Dr. Roy Rutherford said.

The boys all suffer from attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD.

"It's the reading. It's the math. It's the social skills. It's trying to stay focused, which is a real hard problem for all of them," Carole Colford said.

But since joining the Dore program five weeks ago, their grandparents said that Brian, in particular, has improved.

"We noticed that he enjoyed reading for the first time," Don Colford said.

"We're always reading to him, trying to encourage this, but this is something that within a little over a week's time he started reading on his own."

The method, which involves the use of beanbags and balls, has been criticized by some experts as unproven. They don't think exercise can transform the lives of people with learning disabilities.

"But if you look at the medical science behind what we're doing, it is solid. It is a clear solid jigsaw that's explaining where the problem is, how you identify it and how you rectify it," Dore Achievement Center Founder Wynford Dore said.

An independent British study recently found kids in the program experienced significant improvements in reading, writing and comprehension. The Colfords hope for similar results.

"We know they're bright kids. We know that they've got a lot of abilities, and we want to see a much better future for them," Carole Colford said.

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