Kyle's Treehouse

Empowering everyone touched by Autism to make effective choices

  • ABOUT KYLE

    Kyle Westphal is 15 years old. He likes karate, video games and girls, though not always in that order. He argues with his parents, his room is usually a mess, and he hates to get up early. Basically, he is your typical teenager. With an exceptional story.

    READ MORE ABOUT KYLE

  • OUR MISSION

    Kyle's Treehouse is dedicated to empowering all people touched by autism to make effective choices.

    Keeping the Treehouse up and running is a labor of love, and we depend heavily on the kindness and generosity of individual donors. By donating, you can keep our community flourishing, and insure that the most current and valuable information is always available. Your contribution is very important, and is deeply appreciated by everyone here.

    LEARN MORE | DONATE

  • SON-RISE TREATMENT

    Son-Rise is built around the belief that respect and deep caring are the most important factors impacting a child's ability to learn. A home-based therapy offered through the Autism Centers Of America, Son-Rise enlists the parents as therapists, encouraging them to participate in their child's activities, rather than resisting them. The theory is that doing this wins the child's trust, and makes them more comfortable with outside stimuli.

    LEARN MORE | OTHER TREATMENTS

About Kyle

Kyle Westphal is 15 years old. He likes karate, video games and girls, though not always in that order. He argues with his parents, his room is usually a mess, and he hates to get up early. Basically, he is your typical teenager.
With an exceptional story.

As Kyle grew from an infant to a toddler, he changed from an outgoing and happy child to one who was very withdrawn. Around the age of three, Kyle’s parents, Jeff and Jenifer, became concerned. The two years that followed was a confusing and heart-wrenching period - not knowing what was wrong with Kyle until his diagnosis. After seeing numerous specialists and enduring a battery of tests, Kyle was diagnosed with autism in 1998.

Jeff and Jenifer were determined to bring back the sweet, loving child they had once known. After discussing numerous options, Kyle began treatment in the The Son-Rise Program®. After four and a half years in the program, Kyle’s story became one with a beautiful ending, because the Westphals found a treatment that enabled him to emerge. Today, he’s an average kid, one who in his father’s words, “has his whole life ahead of him, the joys and sorrows, successes and failures, all the things that are a part of experiencing life.” To the parents who thought they’d lost him forever, nothing could be sweeter.