Reprinted from:
http://www.son-rise.org/a_autismtoday.html
Autism and the Myth of False Hope
Written by Raun K. Kaufman
http://www.son-rise.org/a_autismtoday.html
Autism is incurable, right? People say it's a lifelong condition. An irreversible brain disorder. A tragedy. According to many, anyone who says otherwise is promoting "false hope." There's just one problem with this point of view: it's not true. Autism does not have to be a life sentence. And there is no such thing as "false hope."
How do I know? My entire life is the product of what many call "false hope." At 18 months old, I was diagnosed with autism. In fact, my case was considered severe, with no speech and a tested I.Q. of less than 30. I would spend my days endlessly engaged in repetitive behaviors such as spinning plates, rocking, and flapping my hands in front of my face. I never looked at others nor did I give the slightest response to the calls and requests of the people around me. I was "in my own world."
As I'm sure you can imagine, my parents were told many things about what my future would hold. No change was to be expected in my development. I would never speak, never have friends, never go to school, never learn to communicate with others in any meaningful way. The professionals recommended eventual institutionalization.
My parents, however, decided to make a complete departure from traditional methods of "treatment." They designed and implemented an innovative and groundbreaking program that was both home-based and child-centered: The Son-Rise Program®.
After working with me for over three years, my parents achieved what the experts had deemed "impossible": my complete recovery from autism with no trace of my former condition. After living a normal childhood, then earning a degree in Biomedical Ethics from Brown University, I went on to direct an educational center for school-aged children.
I now lecture internationally, as well as being an author, teacher, and the Director of Global Outreach for the Autism Treatment Center of AmericaT.
Reprinted from:
http://www.son-rise.org/a_autismtoday.html