Each autistic person has their own strengths and challenges. We are
proud to share their stories in support of our continued work to
increase understanding and acceptance, across the spectrum and
throughout the life span.

Meet Brandon W.

Take one look at Brandon's big smile and curly brown locks and
you'll have a difficult time holding back a smile of your own.
This spunky 8-year-old, who is described by his mom, Kelli, as
"having a glow that could light up a room," loves to play
video games, make arts and crafts, swim in the pool and sing along to
some of his favorite songs, like Wiz Khalifa's "See You
Again" from the 2015 movie "Furious 7."

Brandon has made great strides since he was diagnosed with autism in
2018 through the support of his mom and big brother, L.J., 23, and the
consistency of vital intervention services, including Applied Behavior
Analysis and speech therapy. His inability to communicate his wants
and needs verbally can still lead to frustration and the occasional
meltdown, but thanks to his strong will and positive attitude, this
first grader continues to achieve milestones that doctors and
specialists said he would never reach.

"I'm so proud of his ability to keep going, no matter
what roadblocks he faces. He always finds a way to get around them and
absorbs what he learns. Even when he is having a rough day, he keeps a
smile on his face. I am super proud to be his mom!"

Like most parents, Kelli hopes her son can "live his life to
the fullest knowing that no matter what, he's loved." With
a sturdy support system around him and access to the crucial services
he's been receiving since he was diagnosed, Brandon is well on
his way to reaching his full potential - a thought that puts a HUGE
smile on all of our faces here at Autism Speaks!

Learn more about Brandon through the words of his mom, Kelli, in this Spectrum Spotlight Q&A: [link removed]

In your experience with Brandon, how important is early diagnosis and
intervention services?

Extremely important! I have learned skills and techniques to help
Brandon with daily activities that I would have never even known
existed.

Did you realize something was different about Brandon before his
diagnosis? If so, please share some of your experiences and how the
diagnosis came about.

Yes, I did. As a mom, you can almost always tell when something is
not quite right with your child. Brandon was not really making eye
contact or talking like he should have been around age 2. I started to
notice that he was very particular about little things. He would group
things in order by shapes, colors and sizes - things most people
wouldn't even think about. He didn't care much for being
cuddled or even playing with toys the correct way.

I spoke to his pediatrician and together we decided to get Brandon
tested for autism. We went to the Haymount Institute for Psychological
Services in Fayetteville, NC to seek out answers. It was in this
meeting that I was able to see just how much my son was lacking in
areas compared to other kids his age. They had him play with cars and
Play-Doh, color with crayons and do a few other things, and it was
obvious that he was not doing these things in a typical way.

What were your initial thoughts when you first received
Brandon's diagnosis?

I was both relieved and scared! How was I going to handle this? Am I
strong enough? Patient enough? Will I be able to provide him with the
resources he needs to help him? I have spent many sleepless nights in
tears wondering if I am doing enough, but I was ready to start the
journey of giving Brandon the best care I possibly could! He was
diagnosed with autism, echolalia and elopement at the age of 4.

Tell us about some of the struggles he has faced/faces as a result of
his autism.

He can get frustrated at times when he is trying to tell us something
and we do not understand. He has difficulties with basic daily life
skills but continues to work on them each day. He also can have
sensory overload at times. Sometimes when this happens, he screams and
other times he can have a full-fledged meltdown that can last a few
hours.

You mentioned Brandon is non-verbal. How has he learned to
communicate and how has that improved through the years?

He had ABA therapy as well as speech therapy for four hours a day for
quite some time before the pandemic. This is where we began to see
Brandon open up and show his true self. He became confident and you
could see his whole attitude change. Unfortunately, COVID hit and we
had to stop the in-home visits and therapy altogether for safety
reasons. This is where my older son, LJ, became a HUGE help in pushing
Brandon to be the best he could be. They would spend hours together
doing flash cards and math problems, daily life skills and reading
books. We downloaded ABCmouse.com, and I hate to sound like a
commercial, but Brandon took off from there. He can read but has
issues comprehending things and can count to 100 and do simple math
problems.

What are some of Brandon's biggest strengths?

He is a genius at electronics - he can use my phone better than I
can! He remembers numbers very well and even remembered my credit card
number to order something off Amazon. He's the first to help
with cleaning and loves to say his prayers. He has a daily routine
that we have learned to stick by.

What advice would you give to other parents who have a child/children
on the spectrum?

Advocate! Advocate! Advocate! It is okay to be scared. It is okay to
cry. It is okay to have all the fears in the world. It is totally
normal. You are your child's voice. You will have hard days when
you will ask yourself, "Can I really do this?" The answer
is ...YES YOU CAN!! God gives his toughest battles to his
strongest soldiers. The moment your child does something out of the
normal (plays with a toy the right way, says a word or even makes eye
contact), you will realize YOU helped your child find their confidence
by providing them with the help they need and a lot of love.

Please describe some of the therapies and services that Brandon
receives. How have those services positively impacted his life??

ABA and speech therapy. He also has a neurologist, as well as his
primary care doctor and a dentist. All these providers, along with the
help of his brother, have helped Brandon tremendously advance in life.

What is your connection to Autism Speaks and how have they provided
support to you and your family??

I started following the organization on Facebook a while ago. They
became my "go to" when Brandon was having meltdowns or
issues that I was not familiar with. To see all the support systems in
place, the helpful links, toolkits and just to see that there are
other families going through similar things, made me fall in love with
them.

What are five words that best describe Brandon?

Courageous. Resilient. Determined. Extraordinary. Magnificent?

November 13, 2021 is World Kindness Day. Why is kindness important to
you and what does the day mean to you and your family?

As a mother of a child on the spectrum, it has helped me become more
understanding and compassionate to people and different situations
they may face. A simple smile and eye contact can change a
person's whole day. I have taught my boys to never judge a book
by its cover and love people for who they are.




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