Re: son-rise program?

[Guest guest]

This doesn't come up much but when it does it's just like this " did

anyone ever hear about this "

Here's an archive from 3 months ago which is last when it came up and

the message contains the archives to an article and one opinion about

it from a member here:

Re: Anyone heard of this?

Liz the Son-Rise program which is the name it used to go by has come

up here many times since as far back as January of 2002.

http://www.son-rise.org

The problem with it isn't the program but the cost. It's just moving

into Scotland now and I have posted an article from today September

7th 2008 about the " £ 7000 cure " (UK£ 7000 = 12 329.8 U.S. dollars)

which is similar to the complaint against the people both doctors and

laypeople that choose to become dan people. They charge an arm and a

leg to parents of special needs children... and why? That lawsuit I

just posted about the first visit with all the tests the family

thought it was 'only' go to cost seven thousand and the bill was

eleven thousand dollars $11,000 And the total amount they spent

when they maxed out after they remortgaged their home was $40,000 and

reportedly the child regressed from the gains he made prior from the

more traditional therapies.

http://www.casewatch.org/depos/bock2004.shtml

And a note to those professionals in this group that are planning on

going this route -yes I'm starting to hear complaints from some of

the patients that they feel the direction is now more about making

more money. So please ask 'yourself' as a professional 'why' -

especially those of you that know for a fact in most cases you don't

have to do all this hoopla to see dramatic surges.

Anyway back on track -

So at only twelve thousand three hundred and twenty nine dollars it

appears that Sonrise is a steal. Then again if you ask someone like

Jeanne Buesser who has one child with autism and one with apraxia who

are both doing really well what she'd have to say -she's only stuck

with traditional ABA for her autistic son and we all just read about

how well he's doing. If she had and extra 12 or 13 grand laying

around she'd probably use some of it to take the family on a much

needed vacation! (right Jeanne and Ray?!!) I have a message from

Deborah Dore who has an autistic son. She talks about the various

methods to treat autism and she mentions son rise but she too doesn't

know much about it.

Controversial autism guru offers Scots a £7,000 'cure'

« Previous « PreviousNext » Next »View GalleryPublished Date: 07

September 2008

By Marc Horne

AN AMERICAN medical guru who charges thousands of pounds to " cure "

autistic children is heading to Scotland amid a storm of controversy.

Raun Kaufman insists he " fully recovered " from the condition and can

show others how to do the same.

But medical experts and autism groups have accused Kaufman's

organisation of misleading parents, claiming there is no scientific

evidence.

A nADVERTISEMENTumber of specialists – including one of Scotland's

most senior consultants – have urged families to think long and hard

before signing up for the Son-Rise programme, which can cost more

than £7,000.

More than 50,000 people in Scotland are thought to have some form of

autism, typically leaving them with difficulty in communicating and

interacting with others.

Autism is a neurological disorder and most scientists believe there

can, therefore, be no " cure " . The symptoms of the condition are

usually addressed through education in specialised classes with small

numbers of pupils. With years of expert support, youngsters can make

significant progress and go on to gain qualifications and hold down

jobs.

Kaufman, who runs the Autism Treatment Centre of America, based in

Massachusetts, will give a lecture at Heriot-Watt University,

Edinburgh, on October 5 entitled 'An Autism Solution' and is also due

to speak in London, Manchester and Birmingham.

UK tour coordinator son predicted that a capacity

audience of 200 people would attend the free Edinburgh talk.

People attending the lecture who are interested in learning more will

be offered a consultation session with a Son-Rise counsellor. They

will then be given official books on the programme including A

Miracle To Believe In and Happiness Is A Choice. If they are still

interested they can then sign-up to begin one of the intensive Son-

Rise programmes.

son said Kaufman's speech would " debunk the myth " that autism is

incurable.

" We have seen full recovery in many, many people since then, but it

is challenging to give an exact number. "

The Son-Rise scheme encourages parents to mimic their child's

behaviour in order to increase trust.

Parents are also advised to create a distraction-free " playroom " in

their home with toys and food being kept out of reach in order to

compel youngsters to communicate.

Dr Iain McClure compiled NHS Scotland's guidelines on Autism Spectrum

Disorder (ASD) last year and examined a variety of outside treatment

programmes.

He said: " There was no evidence found for a cure by any method.

" As far as mainstream clinicians and researchers who work with autism

are aware, autism is not a condition that one recovers from. "

McClure, a consultant psychiatrist with NHS Tayside, urged parents to

consult the ish Intercollegiate Guideline Network website before

investing in any treatment.

" For every parent that Son–Rise presents as being convinced their

child has been 'cured' or improved, there will be an equal, if not

greater, group who will be dissatisfied. "

Dr Mills, director of independent charity Research Autism,

also urged caution.

He said: " Anecdotal reports of recovery are not evidence. There have

been no independently conducted, peer-reviewed scientific trials of

the Son-Rise method so we cannot recommend it to parents. "

And Carol Povey, head of adult services with the National Autistic

Society, said: " I have spoken to Raun Kaufman and told him there is

no cure for autism. To claim otherwise is to mislead families who are

extremely vulnerable. "

Dr Cebula, of Edinburgh University, has conducted research into

the impact of Son–Rise on families.

The committee member of the ish Autism Research Group

said: " Around half of those involved reported that it caused some

difficulties for their family life.

" Nearly all reported some financial impact. "

Cebula said there were also anecdotal reports from parents who found

the programme helpful, but said further independent evaluation was

needed to get a complete picture.

http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/scotland/Controversial-autism-guru-offers-S\

cots.4466417.jp

And here's an archive on it from Deborah from the UK from May of 2002

Re: wonderfull article on autism-fyi

Hi ,

I'll try ! ( but the rest of you please don't shout if it is not

detailed enough or slightly out of date - it is just a general

overview ...more info on any that you have tried woul;d be welcome

though !!)

ABA ..Applied Behavioural Analysis ( or Lovas). It is an intervention

used on young children which involves breaking tasks down into tiny

functions and then teaching each one individually through a process

of praise and reward. The therapy is recommnended to be done

intensively ( up to 40 hours per week). The child is taken right back

to basics and is taught every skill with clear and simple commands -

the idea being that once a skill is taught it can be extended and

generalised. For example " look at me " modelled and followed by a

reward can be the beginings of a child watching and understanding

facial expressions and gaining a greater understanding of social

interaction. The basics behind the technique are well described in

Maurice book " Let me Hear your Voice.

ABA has given rise to Verbal Behaviour - a linked therapy which is

more generalised and is strongly used with non-verbal autistic kids .

Dietary Intervention... Many parents feel these " new " types of autism

have more to do with a biochemical reaction in a child than a

neurological condiotion . The THEORY is that some factor damages a

childs gut . Once that damage is caused it may cause the gut to

become " leaky " . If this happens particles of certain foods can leak

through the gut and into the bloodsteam causeing major problems when

they cross the bloodbrain barrier . The proteins in gluten and casein

(wheat and milk) become substances called caseomorphine and

glutomorphine . The effect that they have on the brain can vary but

includes interupted sleep patterns , unpredictable behaviours (

giggling followed by tantrums) , cravings for certain foods and

extremely self-limited diets . Some behaviours can become extreme as

the childs highs and lows become mopre intense whilst many milder

symptoms echo autistic behaviours . The damage can additionally

result in yeast infections and thrush etc which further unsettle the

childs behaviour and cause more symptoms . www.autismmedical.com

explains the theory on the home page although it is a UK site and the

resources have only limited relevence to those in the Usa. This is

the therapy to look at if your child has a tight list

of " favourite " foods - especially the usual suspects of cheerios ,

chicken nuggets, bread, baby yogurts, cheese and LOTS of drinks like

apple juice !!!

Chelation is VERY contravertial and is again based on the theoory

that a childs whole gut has been damaged . Dietary intervention tends

to be used by those who think that the MMR or anti-biotic use, either

by their child directly ( ie for glue ear) or in utero, has caused

the problem.

Chelation is used by those who think that the high mercury/thimerosal

content of their childs immunistations have damaged them - almost

from birth. The chelation process involves taking supplements which

lift and then remove the heavy metals from the childs body . This is

something that can be done over a period of time but is not to be

embarked upon lightly and NOT without medical supervision . The

symptoms of mercury toxicity are hard top spot and careful testing is

needed - again with full medical support . If you want to read about

it I can give you info - but please e-mail me and I will let you have

some sites .

SON-RISE is the one I know least about and the one of which I have no

personal experience . It is an intervention designed by a family

where the mother worked many hours a day with her autistic son and

effectively echoed his behaviours - trying if you like to contact and

connect with him by joining him in his autistic world rather than

trying to drag him into ours . The son ended up going to university

and speaks and runs the education programme. Perhaps others will know

more ......

I hope this has given the basics . I am not trying to be very

detailed and neither am I trying to recommend any - it's just that

these approaches are out there and I think are worth looking at and

applying your own good sense and knowledge of your child too before

choosing any particualr route . One of them has worked wonders for my

child .....

Happy reading !

Shout if you have any questions !!

Regards

Deborah Dore

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