Dore Talk

Off to the land of Dore next week for Luke's 2nd Assessment. 

The first thing he told me this morning was 'when we started Dore last March, Dr Sara said I would only be on it for a year, well a year is up so it must be the last month'.

So as one of the reasons Luke is on DORE is to improve his short term memory does this count?  How short is short?  And, how much is down to selective memory and wishful thinking?

Charlie, if it's any longer - you can tell him!

Fingers crossed

Jackie

Good luck Jackie. We did 2 years! Don't tell Luke that!!!! lol.

Hi Jackie,

We went for Jordan's assessment (our 2nd one also) we also started in March. Jordan had made great improvements on the exercises, however, we knew we would be on it for longer because certain areas have not moved on very much on the progress wheels, for example writing skills, organisation and memory. The news was good we are now aiming to finish at the end of July and wind down exercises beginning of August. Jordan has agreed to do his exercises without any fuss or bother which have been our major concern. Am also expecting a lot in 5 months but so glad we have and are doing the programme. Let us know how you go on. Tracey

Hi Tracey, That is such good news! Its great that they can tell you how much longer Jordan will be on the programme for.Now theres a light at the end of the tunnel.

We have Morgan's 2nd assessment on saturday 13th March , so fingers crossed we get some positive feedback.

Sarah x

Hi all,

Thanks for all the replies.  Where have you all been?  Not many posts on here lately.  Anyway - Bugalug I won't be telling Luke that!  Although having spoken to Charlie last month she confirmed he is on course to finish in March.  I'm worried about us being given 'wind downs' as I don't know what these are, what they look like etc.  Sarah - good luck and keep going.  As we all know too well - so many different individual needs that hopefully one day won't be so needy.

I'll keep you informed.  Not looking forward to the journey & praying it's our last one.

x

Hi Jackie Thanks for message.I come on this site every week looking for bits of advice and I didn't realise just how much I rely on it until we went away for 2 weeks recently ! When we had some tough times, I couldn't just log on and feel reassured that others have been through the same stuff.  

Did you phone Charlie to ask when she felt Luke would be finishing?Did she gauge it from what exercises he has done?  

From what I understood the wind downs were the exercises as normal but only once a day, but I could be wrong!!!

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Sarah x

Sarah,

When we were on holiday abroad back in October for a week it was a struggle to complete the exercises.  For one, we kept forgetting because our routine was obviously different.  We'd also be eating out and at different times and obviously when you are on holiday I think generally you spend more time outdoors than you do indoors.  Plus, of course it was all by paper and in a smaller/different room.  It was a bit of pain but we managed to complete I'd say 75% of the exercises which I think is better than nothing.

Like I said in the earlier post, upon registering at DORE Dr Sara said she expects Luke to be on the course for 1 year and this he has never forgotten.  In thinking, planning & preparing ahead I phoned DORE in January and spoke to Charlie who told me Luke is on course to complete by the end of March. 

Luke doesn't have any particular special needs shall we say, his weaknesses are or more so were his short term memory, co-ordination, balance, confidence etc.  As his parents we have seen vast improvements in all of these and hopefully in the not so distant future we'll continue to see even more improvements.  Fingers crossed. 

It is difficult and can be very hard to get the kids to do the exercises but you must stick with it, stand by your ground, be firm and don't budge.  We have always kept telling ourselves it's 'just temporary' and this helps to get us through. When you tell friends and family what Dore involves it actually doesn't sound that big a deal, effort & hard work but the battle is getting our little angels to do them without arguments, shouting or screaming.  For us or Luke should I say the exercises aren't difficult, it's just completing them correctly.  I always tell Luke that it's a complete waste of our time if you complete the exercises incorrectly or for the wrong amount of time. If he doesn't put in the effort then we stop it and try again 5 minutes later and preferably in the right frame of mind. The big help is that he can see his own improvements for himself. 

Anyway, like I always say the likes of Bugalug and Missellie are by far more experienced and knowledgable.  I suspect you've already heard from them.  They never fail to offer their advice and have helped loads particularly at the beginning of our journey.  And I say a journey because if does and will come to an end.  It's A-Z not A-B and I'm hoping we're at 'Y'!

Jackie

 

 

Hi all,

Thought everyone had gone away!!! Glad to hear you are all battling on and staying on track.

The 'wind down' is sooooo much easier than you probably think. It is basically the same or similar execises to what you have done but they are staggered  and alternated over several weeks to allow the children/doree to adjust to life without them. EG....week one might be an exercise twice a day for that week. Week two might be one exercise twice a day but only three times in the whole week and then less and less until  DA DAAAAA  last exercise .... Dore will advise properly. Then.... Fanfare, cheers, rewards drinks, whatever,,,,, we went for a meal with friends and celebrated, with Son getting his wish of new tv of his own in his room. he was 10 and thoroughly deserved it!!!!

Good luck, stay on track...xxxx

ps 18 months total for us.

Ha ha - thanks for the info motherofb.  I think we are all still here and plodding on.  We're off to 'Land of Dore' today so I'll keep you all informed of the outcome.  Not looking forward to the drive, approx 2 hours but as long as it's a safe journey thats all the matters.

Will report in within a day or so.

Jackie

(I have not told Luke you done 18 months)!

The 2.5 hour drive there and the 3 hour drive back (traffic) was worth it.  We are, and I say 'we' have finished DORE - yipppeeeeeee.  Luke has made fantastic progress and Neil and crew were really pleased with him and his results.  We now have 2 weeks of 'wind downs' and thats it.  We really can't believe it even though we were told his course would probably be about 1 year - now it's finally here we're sort of stunned and it's starting to sink it.  When you say 'a year' it doesn't actually sound or seem that long but when you are on the course and doing it the end seems forever away doesn't it?

Anyway, Luke is thrilled and delighted and I actually think deep down he'll miss it a bit though he won't admit it!  Luke received a lovely certificate, a fantastic gold medal, the rest of his D O R E badges and a round of applause from the Dore team.  He also had his photo taken and left a message on the 'wall of fame/completion'. 

He will be rewarded with an i-pod for all his hard work and effort but as I'm a strict task master he won't get it til the very, very end.

Jackie

x

Fantastic news- I bet you are both ecstatic. The wind downs will be nothing compared to the past year. Really really pleased for you. Keep posting to tell us all about improvements post dore.

Tracey

Jackie - so pleased to hear you and Luke are "nearly" done. Wind-down is great fun ... the end is in sight. I look forward to hearing all the positive gains going forward now you are finished! :)

Jackie  That is such good news, am well chuffed for you.Can't believe wind downs are just 2 weeks!! 

Went to Morgans parents evening last night and they said the improvement he has made is incredible.He doesn't need one to one any more as he will sit and listen (and understand) all on his own! This Dore programme is GREAT!!!

We are off to Dore on Saturday so hopefully they will see an improvement too and will ask also if Morgan is on track to finish in a year.Fingers very crossed!!!!

Keep in touch and well done to Luke

Sarah x

Hi,

 Brilliant news and well done Luke (and family)

Wind down is a doddle compared to the rest of it. You will be amazed at how much 'free time' you seem to have once the exercises have gone !

Many congrats to all of you. It seems a distant memory for us now.  

 

Thanks all for your lovely comments and posts.  Never fear, I will still be hear, keeping logged on and tuned in to who, where and whats going on etc.  Hopefully I can, when needed, offer support to others like when all you lovely people did for me when we first started. 

Hope you get on okay on Saturday.  I would advise you to make a note of the questions you want to ask that way you won't leave there with half the info you wanted missing.  Luke is on the wall of fame/completion.  Check him out when you go. 

Neil told me that wind downs have changed to still the 2 exercises and 2 sessions a day but they get easier and only last for 2 weeks.  I think judging by others that this used to be different. 

Anyway, of course will keep you all informed of Luke's progress not only other the next two weeks but the future and particularly the year ahead.  Hopefully I'll have some good news to report in.

Am looking forward to not having to say 'Luke, switch your Dore on' which was always followed by a tut, a whinge, a groan & a moan, though nothing like what I know some of you experience and have to put up with.  As for the 'spare time', knowing me, I'll still be running around like a headless chicken in the mornings/school runs and I'll think to myself 'how did we used to cram Dore in'.

I hope we can all login a bit more often than I think we have been doing this year so far.  I think life is becoming more and more stressful, rushed and exhausting, but I think it's extremely important we find the time to remind each other that there are others going through the same ups and downs.  It has always helped me hugely to know this.

Must go - got an evening DORE session to complete!

Jackie

Oops - I think I meant here and not hear - LOL.

Maybe I should do DORE.  At least I noticed straight away!

 Hi everyone

We took Morgan for his 2nd assessment on Saturday and were told that he would need to do 18 months which means we will prob be going til next Jan!!

He did well with the eye tracking but the balance machine, that he has never had a prob with before, had to be abandoned because he was giggling and misbehaving in!! I was really disheartened!  I know he has improved with his literacy and maths but his social skills and immaturity still seem to be a huge problem. I feel blue!  Wish I could wave a magic wand!

On a lighter note we saw Luke on the completion wall which was fab, we are so pleased for you!!

We will keep plodding on and hopefully things will improve in the near future!

Sarah xxx 

We felt exactly like you- really really wishing a year was enough- but deep down we knew there was more work to be done! Jordan was great with the balancing machine- but we need lots of improvement with the memory and school work. We bought Jordan a present for all his hard work over the year - but to explain we needed to do more exercises for another 5 months was awful he just wants to come home from school and relax- but it has to be done and you will be able to do it because we know we have to - look at all the improvements so far - it will be worth all the toil in the end.

Keep at it, you never know your next assessment may be very different and there may be major improvements over the next couple of months.

Tracey x

Sarah,

Don't be too disheartened, after all they are kids.  Things will improve over time.  I think we all see small improvements/changes whilst on the course but I think major bigger changes will be seen and experienced over the coming months/years after DORE completion.  I told Luke yesterday that he has 2 hours on 'a screen' (laptop/xbox etc), after school (had no homework) and that he can choose when those 2 hours start and finish and he said he'll use the 2 hours now as he has cadets that night (Monday/last night).  Now, the old Luke would never have thought that far ahead and yes I actually mean only 3 hours ahead.  That used to be far ahead.  So he is planning and thinking more.  He got to the garden gate yesterday morning and then realised he had left his mobile at home and walked back to get it.  I would never remind him of forgetting things as I think that doesn't help.  He has to do it for himself.  So you do see changes.  Lukes memory still has plenty room for improvement and hopefully that will come.  He is more confident, less snappy, though he is now a teenager so as parents we have to try and work out whether it's a teenage mood swing or not.

Keep going, your doing a great job and January isn't that far away.  It will all be worth it.  As we are on our last week this week it's like a countdown at NASA's next rocket launch.  The exercises are easier, no mentals, more physical and more fun, though obviously knowing your in your last week helps.

We bought Luke an Ipod for his reward and he over the moon & gobsmacked.  To see his face made it all worth while. 

I will tell Luke you saw him 'on the wall'.  He is so proud of that.

Jackie

x

 Thanks for your support. I know you're both right! And I know that it will only be doing more good for Morgan.

We will keep going until Morgan's pic is on the wall!!!!

Sarah x