A look at my middle child and first autistic son Elijah

Elijah is my incredibly loving 12 year old middle child. He was diagnosed with moderate autism when he was around four. He loves to cuddle, get tickles, watch YouTube on his phone, and swing in the backyard. He is easily the most temperamental of my kids. He demands consistency with his schedule and anything that changes that can sometimes fuel a behavioral issue. For example, if I pick him up and take a different way home then usual, this will sometimes set him off. Although, he has gotten better about this.

Elijah loves DVDs, especially Disney DVDs. He likes to introduce the DVD like he’s doing a YouTube video. It’s super cute. He also sings along to Aladdin and Mulan, sometimes in different languages if he finds those versions on YouTube. If I try to sing along, he immediately tells me to stop singing. Elijah is an excellent swimmer. He would live in the water if I let him. He even does great in the deep end.

Elijah is probably the most challenging of my kids to understand what’s going on. Sometimes the behavior issues occur without any real reason. He loves to be hugged and loves squeezes, so when he gets worked up those will sometimes help. He has learned to calm himself much more effectively. Typically, if he gets worked up, I can take him to a safe place, usually his room, and just leave him be. When he was younger he’d tear up the room, but now he settles himself down and moves on.

He was my first child diagnosed with Autism and his journey has been a blessing to watch. He’s incredibly sneaky and tries to find ways to get out of the house so he can run to McDonalds. See my post on safeguarding your home https://fatheringautistickids.com/keeping-your-autistic-child-safe-at-home/. Speaking of McDonalds, it’s Elijah’s absolute favorite. Every Tuesday and Thursday after his ABA therapy he gets a chicken McNuggets happy meal and a cheeseburger with no onions. He won’t eat his lunch on those days in anticipation of it.

Elijah is an amazing boy who constantly keeps me on my toes. He is loving, giggly, happy, and pretty dang smart. It’s a blessing to be his dad and I look forward to his continued progress.