After running a successful Son-Rise
Program with Jake for over three years, Brian decided
to work at the Autism Treatment Center of America,
where he is now a Senior Son-Rise Family Counselor
and spokesperson for The Son-Rise Program.
The Nelson’s son Jake was diagnosed when he
was nearly four years old by a team of doctors and
health care professionals from the University of Michigan.
The sobering prognosis given to the Nelson’s
by the team was that Jake would never speak, be toilet
trained, dress himself or even be able to bathe himself,
despite progressing normally in his first 22 months
of life.
Brian, who previously worked in the automotive industry
as a Custom Control Products Manager, and his wife
Susan, who before Jake’s birth was a resource
coordinator for severely autistic children, felt they
had no place to turn. Susan called her old supervisor
and asked him what other options might be available
to her, as she’d witnessed what can become of
people who were severely autistic and didn’t
want the same for Jake.
Her boss had been to a lecture discussing the Son-Rise
Program and told her if it was his child, he would
try the Son-Rise Program.
The Nelson’s attended a Start-Up Program and
immediately began to work with Jake. Just eight weeks
after attending the Start-Up, Jake’s vocabulary
went from non-existent to 50 words and both eye contact
and interactive play increased exponentially.
A year and a half later, Jake was attending mainstream
school. Today, he is on the academic honor roll and
off the Autism Spectrum and according to Brian, has
a full social calendar that sometimes needs reigning
in.
Brian now works full-time with the Autism Treatment
Center of America consulting with parents and professionals
who have questions about the various programs or who
have ongoing questions or concerns about the Son-Rise
Program they are running from their own homes.
Brian and Susan, along with Jake and their youngest
son, Noah, all reside in Monroe, Michigan.
|
Back to top
