Son-Rise: A Miracle of Love 1979

Raun was born “like all, perfect” to Barry Kaufman and Suzi Kaufman. As Raun grew, he could only see certain things and sometimes hear. He also lost a couple of words he had been taught. He had 12 out of 13 symptoms of autism. Medical professionals were pessimistic about Raun’s condition.

The only options offered to the Kaufmans at the time were either institutionalization or a behavior modification program that employed aversives, such as spanking and electric shocks. His parents also witnessed young children being locked into cabinets by clinicians; other children had their hands tied to the back of chairs to suppress their hand-flapping, a self-stimulatory behavior common to autism.

The Kaufmans decided to work with Raun, although he had not yet reached the age of two. They utilized their downstairs restroom, which was the only place free of distractions. When Raun flapped his hands and spun plates, so did Suzi, Bryn, and Thea — joining Raun. After several months, Raun looked directly at Suzi and smiled for the first time since Raun had become autistic. Other forms of contact Raun made included crying, when he was thirsty for juice or water. Raun’s mother worked with him for a total of 70 to 80 hours a week and his father sold his advertising agency to have more time to work with his son.

However, Raun relapsed into spinning plates without making contact, causing his parents to start all over until he made contact again. The Kaufmans’ work was successful. At the end of the film, Raun was six years old and known as “a happy, active, bright, and loving normal boy.”