Hannah's Story
As told by her parents, Patricia & Robert
When we were told about the DORE Program, we were excited to find a way of
dealing with our daughter's ADHD that would be in keeping with our convictions.
Hannah had difficulty in school due to lack of focus, inattention, impulsivity,
fidgeting and being able to verbally express emotions, especially frustration.
At home we had difficulty with getting her attention, her finishing tasks, how
she responded to her siblings on occasion, and the amount of time it took for
homework.
She loved "doing DORE" from the start, and we, as parents, encouraged her a
great deal. She liked the fact that she was not getting into trouble for
moving. She enjoyed being able to get better at something that at first seemed
hard. She loved being able to find that some things came easy and even found
that challenging yourself can have great rewards.
Hannah has been "doing DORE" for ten months at this present time of writing to
you. At school, her need for physical movement has calmed down. It has not been
extinguished, nor could it be in others who have ADHD. It has been given a more
appropriate outlet or way of expression. Her distracting the whole class has
reduced to quietly distracting herself, and even this seems to be improving.
She looks forward to school and is confident that if she makes a mistake she
can correct it herself. She still works on tracking the teacher, but she feels
that she is better at some things that she finds hard to do. At home, she makes
better eye contact when someone is speaking to her, and she responds quicker.
Her emotional outbursts are much less frequent, and turn around time is much
shorter. What would have taken three to four hours, regarding homework, now
takes a half and hour to one hour on a bad day. She is finishing her work or
chores without prompting.
Could she have done this without DORE? Yes, but we believe that the development
that she needed and the exercises that she received from DORE is what has
helped her move along so quickly. She has improved, and she has a sense of
becoming better for her own self. The best example of how she has improved is
that while my other children got caught up in a game of chase, increased their
laughter, fun, and overall volume, Hannah was the picture of serenity, calmly
reminding them of what was expected and started reading a book. Ten months ago,
wild horses could not have kept her from becoming involved in this type of
situation. She has learned that better control leads to better choices, and
better choices lead to better results. Does she always behave this way? No, but
she continues to make these types of choices, and she is realizing that she can
be in control. We know this is a process. For us, it has been a successful
process that we are glad to be in and to have been a part of. We look forward
to seeing more improvements in the future— as does Hannah.
Also, you could not have a finer staff. They have always treated us kindly and
have become like an extended family. We're sure that Hannah has responded
positively to their support, encouragement, and sincere care that they display.
It is wonderful to work with and continue to work with the DORE team that we
have.