2080 S.

Undermountain Road, Sheffield, MA 01257

1-877-SON-RISE  (413)-229-2100
www.autismtreatment.com
 My Diagnosis

•Severe autism
• Tested I.Q. of less than 30
• Mute/non-verbal
• No eye contact
• Moved away from any physical contact
• Spent my days performing repetitive behaviors:
 Spinning plates (and other objects)
 Rocking back and forth
 Flapping my hands
 Moving my fingers in front of my face
 My Prognosis

•My autism was an irreversible, lifelong condition

• I would occupy my own separate world for the rest of
my life
• I would never:
• Learn to speak
• Prefer people over objects
• Learn to read or write
• Go to a typical school
• Laugh at a joke
• Go on a date
• Have a circle of friends
• Drive a car
• Have a career
• Live on my own
• Recover and live a
“normal” life
 The Recommendation

Eventual
institutionalization
In My Own World
In My Own World
 What Did My Parents Do?

•Defied the doomsday prognoses

Developed their own home-based, child-centered progra

The Son-Rise
Program®
• Worked with me for over 3 years
The First Son-Rise Program
 The Results

• Full recovery from autism

• No trace whatsoever of my former

condition
• Went on to live a “typical” life

• Graduated from Brown University with a degree

in
Biomedical Ethics
After My Recovery

My father, Barry Neil Kaufman,

wrote the book, Son-Rise
(recently expanded as Son-Rise:
The Miracle Continues)
documenting our story.

Our story was

recounted in an NBC
TV movie seen by over
300 million people
worldwide.
The Autism Treatment Center of
TM

America
A division of The Option Institute, a non-profit, charitable organization
Located in Sheffield, Massachusetts
 The Autism Treatment Center of
TM

America
A division of The Option Institute, a non-profit, charitable organization
• Our methodology: The Son-Rise
Located in Sheffield, Massachusetts

Program®

• Our children: Challenged by autism, autism

spectrum disorders, Pervasive Developmental
Disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome, and other
developmental difficulties.
• Our program: A system of treatment and
education designed to help families and
caregivers enable their children to
dramatically improve in all areas of
learning, development, communication,
and skill acquisition.
Professional TRAINING and CERTIFICATION

Child Facilitator
Teaches studentsCertification
to work directly
with children and adults with
varying diagnoses

Teacher Certification
Trains students to teach all
aspects of The Son-Rise
Program® to parents and
professionals
 The Autism Treatment Center of
TM

America
--- Son-Rise Program: Key Differences
• Was created by parents for parents
--- families from 75 countries
• Has helped more than 25,000
• Begins with the premise that children with autism are
capable of
limitless growth
• Sees parents as the #1 resource for their children, and
thus helps
them to recover their children in some cases and achieve
significant improvement in almost all cases
• Starts by joining children in their world rather than
forcing them
to conform to ours
• Utilizes children’s motivation, rather than repetition, as
the
doorway to learning and growth
•
 The Son-Rise Program START-UP
A 5-day training program for parents and professionals

PRINCIPLES AND TECHNIQUES COVERED:

 Facilitate interaction  Training others

 Eye Contact  Videos With Real Examples
 Reactions vs. Non-Reactions  Q & A Sessions
 The Isms & How To Join  The 3 E’s
 Your Child’s Sensory  Using The Social Dev. Model
Environment  Creatively Challenging Your
 Inspiring Growth Child
Using The Social Dev. Model  Handling “real world”
 Create and sustain an attitude situations
of hope and optimism about your
child 
 Interventions for children with Autism:
Investigating the Son-Rise Program.
Kat Houghton, Charlie Lewis (Lancaster University, UK) and Cynthia Thompson (Northwestern University, USA)

Background Two outcome measures were used. Presented here are data New Coding System Results for Child 3
The Son-Rise Program is an autism intervention used in the UK derived from the ADOS (Lord et al, 2002) only. This is a semi- Child 3 used more varied and frequent types of
and the US that, in spite of abundant anecdotal data attesting to structured series of highly standardised opportunities for communication than Child 1 and so provided greater scope
its efficacy, has not been tested scientifically. Although created interaction designed to elicit social gestures from children. The for more in-depth analysis.
without exploiting a specific theoretical model, the program is current published coding protocol is not designed to support the Function of Communicative Acts
consistent with “coactive” theories of autism. The social- use of the ADOS as an outcome measure. Thus sessions were All communicative acts used by the child were coded as
orienting model of autism (Mundy, 1995) assumes a disturbance video recorded and later subjected to an additional coding being one of four possible functions (from Prizant et al,
in the predilection to spontaneously orient to (and process) protocol measuring the child’s social and communicative 1993):
social information. This lack of bias to social information impacts Function Description
behaviours to allow for more fine-grained analysis than the
how an infant participates in the social environment and
diagnostic coding system. Behaviour Adult used as a tool to meet

subsequent social learning and understanding, including the Regulation (br) child’s demands

ability to develop skills of joint attention. Elevated measures of Social

To maintain, or participate in a
social-orienting and joint attention have been seen to relate to Interaction
(si)
social routine

increased language acquisition (Dawson, et al, 2004), social and Results Joint Attention
cognitive outcomes (Sigman & Ruskin, 1999) and processing of
To share attention about a object
or event
Presented here are the preliminary results from two children (ja)

social-affective non-verbal information (Diassanyake, Sigman &

only. Unclear (un)
Appears to be a communication

Kassari, 1996). The Son-Rise Program aims to remediate but purpose is unclear

autism by directly increasing a child’s preference for social Child 3 showed an increase in use of communicative
ADOS as an Outcome Measure using published Coding
engagement. acts for the purposes of behavior regulation and joint
System and Diagnostic Algorithms for two study
participants. attention, and a decrease in use of communicative acts
Responsive vs. Initiated Communicative Acts
Hypothesis for social interaction or with an unclear purpose.
When the above data were further separated based on
Following this theory it was hypothesised that, following an whether the communicative act was either in response to
intensive period of Son-Rise Program intervention, children with an adult or was spontaneously initiated by the child we see
Typically developing
autism will show an increased preference for social orienting (and 0 the following:
possibly joint attention).
ASD Classification Child 3
7
Method
16 children with autism whose parents had already chosen to Autism Classification
12 Child 1
use the Son-Rise Program (and opted to travel to the USA for
intensive training) were selected. Children were age 7 or
Time 1 5-day BASELINE Time 2 5-day INTERVENTION Time 3
younger, did not have additional diagnoses and were PHASE PHASE

assessed as Module 1 on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Child 3 showed a positive change in diagnostic classification
Schedule (ADOS) (the lowest functioning level). A mixed when sessions were coded with the ADOS coding system.
between and within-subjects design was employed as shown Time 1 (pre-intervention) = 13 This shows that the observed increase in communicative
in Figure 1. Time 3 (post-intervention) = 9 acts for the purpose of behaviour regulation can be
Child 1 changed from a score of 20 to19. attributed to events where the child is responding to an
Figure 1. Experimental Design adult.
Family stays at Family stays at
Family arrives
at intervention
intervention center but no
intervention is provided
intervention center and
Son-Rise Program
New Coding System Results for Child 1
center intervention is provided Applying the new coding protocol illuminated other changes. The most obvious changes in initiated communicative acts
Treatment DAY 1 DAY 5 DAY 11 are 1) a decrease in unclear acts, and 2) an increase in
Group ADOS Using the new
BASELINE PHASE INTERVENTION PHASE
coding system
initiations of joint attention (2 increased to 16)
ADI-R ADOS ADOS
Vineland Other Other an increase in Discussion
Other Measures Measures
Measures
social behaviors These preliminary results suggest that the Son-Rise
can be seen for
Family stays at home, no professional Child 1. This
Program intervention, as hypothesised, leads to an
ADOS
intervention is provided. They travel to
local university for the assessments. child used no increase in social orienting and joint attention skills in
Control ADI-R ADOS other types of children with autism. Continued analysis is underway.
Group Vineland Other
Other Measures communication
Measures Child 1 in either test.
To fund one of our 3 studies, e-mail: KatHoughton@taconic.net
 The Son-Rise Program is
based upon this simple idea:

The children
show us the way
and then wein,show them
the way out.
 JOINING

Participating
in your child's
repetitive &
exclusive
behaviors
 An important Son-Rise Program
difference:

The focus of more traditional programs = change

behavior

The focus of The Son-Rise Program = create relationship

Rather than forcing our children to conform

to a world that they don’t understand,
we enter their world first.
 The “ism”

• Repetitive

• Exclusive

• Useful to each child

• Can be curative or palliative

• The key which unlocks the door to your child’s

world!
 Backed By Published Studies
University of Washington 1984, 1990
Geraldine Dawson (et al)
Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology
Development and Child Psychopathology

Mothers imitated child for 20 minutes/day for 2 weeks  Significant increases in

duration of gaze at mothers’ faces and creative toy play

When facilitator engaged in imitative play with children 

More socially responsive, more eye contact, and played with toys in a less
perseveration manner
__________________________________________________________________________

University of Miami 2001

Tiffany Field (et al)
Autism

2 groups of children for 3 sessions: 1 group imitated, 1 group adults tried to play
with them
2nd session: Imitation group  More time than the other children looking at
adult, vocalizing to adult, smiling at adult, and engaging in reciprocal play.
3 session: Imitation group  More time than the other children sitting closer to
rd

adult and touching the adult.

 Facilitating SKILL ACQUISITION
By Capitalizing On Your Child’s Own
MOTIVATION
Customizing the presentation of curriculum
to match your child’s highest areas of interest
 Motivation is the Single Largest
Factor for Growth
• On the one hand  widely acknowledged (w/typical
students, athletes, etc.)

• On the other  Rarely, if ever, put into practice with

children on the autism spectrum in a consistent manner

• Typical academic settings: the teacher decides what and

how the class will learn  The message: learn on my terms,
not yours.

• However: this runs counter to the idea of creating

rapport and building on motivation

• Often: the mode of learning and the child’s interests

are not matched
 For children with autism spectrum
disorders, traditional learning modalities
will
rarely be motivating.
• Therefore  customize the presentation of
curriculum to match the child’s highest areas of
motivation.

• How: locate the child’s primary areas of interest

first, and then decide how to teach them.

• Thus: we use learning skills and interests our child

already has instead of trying to “work against the
grain”
 The Added Bonus

Spontaneous, self-generated communication and

action (instead of “programmed”, “robotic” responses)

Generalization of skills
(instead of requiring a prompt or reward)
 Backed By Published Studies

University of California 1998

Robert Koegel (et al)
Seminars in Speech and Language

Game based upon child obsessional theme  Increase in social

interaction…
And generalized to non-obsessional themed games
________________________________________________________

University of California 1987

Robert Koegel (et al)
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis

Activities chosen by adult  Child more socially avoidant

Child-preferred activities  Child less socially avoidant
Teaching SOCIALIZATION Through INTERACTIVE
PLAY
Utilizing dynamic relationship-
building
techniques to accomplish
developmental goals
 The Son-Rise Program Developmental Model ®

Self Help: Toileting; Feeding; Dressing; etc.

Cognitive: Math; Reading; Reasoning; etc.

SOCIALIZATION The Four Fundamentals

Autistic Eye Contact: Duration; Frequency; Quality Friendship Skills Socially
Basic
Child / Intermediate Adept
Adult Communication: Vocabulary; Sentence Length; etc. Advanced Child / Adult
Conversation Skills
Mechanics
Interactive Attention Span: Duration; Frequency; etc. The Art of

Flexibility: Rigidity; Activity Variations; Spontaneity; etc.

Gross Motor: Limb mobility & Coordination; Balance; etc.

Fine Motor: Hand/Eye Coordination; Sensory Perception; etc.

2 Key Components of Your
Child’s Learning Process:

Socialization goals
BEFORE
academic goals
Prioritize
interaction over
the goal
 Backed By Published Studies

Case Western University in Ohio 1986-2006

Gerald Mahoney (et al)
Topics in Early Childhood Special Education

Relationship-focused, responsive style of interaction

where the child was given control precipitated increases in
cognitive functioning, communication, and socio-emotional
functioning
 A Non-Judgmental & Optimistic ATTITUDE
is the CRITICAL ELEMENT

Not judging
where our children are today

while believing
they can go
anywhere tomorrow
 “Could we kiss the ground that the
others had cursed?” –
Barry Neil Kaufman, Son-Rise: The Miracle Continues

Discomfort + judgment = more withdrawal

Comfort + acceptance = more interaction

A non-judgmental, optimistic attitude  interaction

magnet.

The Key: Make you and your world attractive to your

children.
 Backed By Published Studies

Case Western University in Ohio 2005

Gerald Mahoney (et al)
Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics

The facilitator’s (parent, other) having a visible affect of

acceptance, enjoyment, expressiveness, and warmth 
Significantly related to increases in the child’s language,
social competence, joint attention, and self-regulation.
 Using The Son-Rise Program
The Recovery
To Enhance BiomedicalMode
Intervention
And Promote Sustained Physiological Repair
•Dr. Scott Faber: Found chronically high stress hormones (cortisol, adrenaline)
•In perpetual “fight or flight” survival mode – NOT in Recovery Mode
•Cannot engage in Sustained Physiological Repair (SPR)

•Supplementation (zinc, magnesium, etc.), probiotic treatment, anti-fungal treatment,

dietary
intervention, chelation, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, secretin, anti-viral and anti-bacterial
medications, the
Listening Program, and other sensory integration therapies…
•Child’s body must absorb supplements, rebuild the gut, eliminate toxins, build the immune
system, etc.
•The key: Shift your child from “fight or flight” survival mode to Recovery Mode

•Use The Son-Rise Program principles to: build trust, increase feelings of safety and control,
reduce
over-stimulation, and increase satisfying social interaction and communication
•Dr. Faber: Found that joining, giving control, creating an environment free from over-
stimulation, and
providing “emotionally-attuned intervention”  stress hormones dropped into normal
ranges

•Immune, digestive, neurological, and nervous system enters the Recovery Mode
•Biomedical interventions implemented with our children’s cooperation instead of
resistance
•Also: Isms are a coping mechanism
• Entering our children’s world and building trust  enter social and emotional Recovery
 The Son-Rise Program START-UP
A 5-day training program for parents and professionals

PRINCIPLES AND TECHNIQUES COVERED:

 Facilitate interaction  Training others

 Eye Contact  Videos With Real Examples
 Reactions vs. Non-Reactions  Q & A Sessions
 The Isms & How To Join  The 3 E’s
 Your Child’s Sensory  Using The Social Dev. Model
Environment  Creatively Challenging Your
 Inspiring Growth Child
Using The Social Dev. Model  Handling “real world”
 Create and sustain an attitude situations
of hope and optimism about your
child 
 The Son-Rise Program START-UP
A 5-day training program for parents and professionals

WHAT MAKES OUR TEACHERS UNIQUE:

 Thousands of hours working  Not academics / not just

directly with children directorial – rather, they
learned from doing
 Our two main teachers
recovered  Trained in counseling parents,
their own daughter from not
autism just in implementing
techniques
 Most of our teacher have been
doing this formore Any experience you’ve had
Thisthan
isn’t15

their job. It’s their life. 
years with
your child – they’ve had 50
times
 The Son-Rise Program Sequence

• The Start-Up
Everything you need to begin your program

• New Frontiers
Create social curriculum and hone program
goals

• Maximum Impact
Take your program to the next level
 Who To Talk To

• Talk to one of our Family

Counselors
(no charge)

• If you still have questions: Get

answers

• Get help booking your Start-Up

slot

• Today: Put your name on the list

the list
www.autismtreatment.org
• Webinars (free of charge):
• Raun, other teachers, Raun & Kristin
• Find a topic that excites you

• Interviews with parents – and, in

some cases, their children!

• Autism Solution – Getting Started with

The Son-Rise Program

• www.autismtreatment.org/research

• www.autismtreatment.org/fundraising
 Take-Home Resource

Provided for You Free of Charge

Take-Home Resources
Joining Jaxson
Jaxson Looking Into My Eyes
About To Be Tickled – And He
Knows It!
Jaxson Smiling For The Camera
Super Jaxson!
The 2009 Autism Grass-Roots
Tour
• Enzymedica + The Autism Treatment Center of America
• Raun K. Kaufman + Kristin Selby Gonzalez
• Year-long cross-country lecture tour
• Speaking in states such as: MN, IA, PA, WA, CO, OR, ND,
IL, KS,
MO,MI, IN, NC, OH, SC, CA, NY – register on our website
• All lectures are FREE
• Lecture title: “The Autism Hope Action Plan”
• Techniques from The Son-Rise Program, diet, enzymes,
biomedical, sensory integration, living toxin-free
• Enzymedica is funding 100 parents nationwide  Start-
Up
• Parents must attend a Grass-Roots lecture
 The Myth of “False” Hope

Hope is the spark that ignites the human spirit!

Hope leads to action.

My recovery from autism is the product of hope.

There is no false hope, only false pessimism.

You don’t ever have to apologize for hoping for your child.
There is no “false” hope! Let’s give our children a
chance!
2080 S. Undermountain Road, Sheffield, MA 01257
1-877-SON-RISE  (413)-229-2100
www.autismtreatment.com