At age two, Lincoln was diagnosed with moderate to severe autism. Early on, there were signs that he was neurodivergent. Starting at a young age, Lincoln would rock back and forth for hours, walk on his tip-toes, spin, run back and forth, fixate with his hands, and flap his arms in excitement. We later learned that he was stimming. Lincoln struggles with new environments by finding the door and lying down to stim. He constantly would chew on items and on his shirt, which we found out was an oral stim. Lincoln did not engage with others. He does not respond to his name. Lincoln is fixated with watching Sesame Street, which he watches upside down on his tablet. He didn’t play with toys rather would throw them. Feeding was a challenge. He refused to transition from baby food to solids, wouldn’t try anything new, and would only drink from a bottle. Lincoln worked with OT to overcome these challenges. Today, he eats solid foods and drinks from a sippy cup. We are continuing to work on trying new foods, learn how to use utensils, and an open cup. After being diagnosed, Lincoln started speech, OT, and in-home ABA. We have seen progress from Lincoln by being more engaged with others, being able to bring us items as a way to communicate his wants/needs, and being able to follow a one-step direction. Lincoln is currently non-verbal. He is learning how to use an AAC device to be able to communicate. Lincoln has made a lot of progress, but the reality is many challenges remain. Lincoln struggles with new environments spending his time stimming, his diet is limited, he’s not able to speak, he’s unable to sleep through the night as he is stimming throughout all hours. Lincoln will continue his therapies and will attend an autism unit for Kindergarten. We have created a sensory room for him which serves as a safe space for him. As parents, we fear for his safety being nonverbal, how others will treat him, him feeling isolated/lonely, and who will care for him when we no longer can. We are aware that aggressive behaviors may develop as he gets older, social challenges, and obtaining life skills. We have been made aware Lincoln will need care for the rest of his life. These are true fears we live with. We have found support with a parent group we attend, and his siblings go to a sibling group. 

Lincoln is sweet, smart, a quick learner, and silly. Lincoln shows love and affection by giving hugs and rubbing our chins. He loves watching Sesame Street, looking at books, playing with pop its, swimming, swinging, and climbing. We hope to raise awareness for autism. We will be participating in the walk for Autism Speaks in October at the Cleveland Zoo. Funds raised will go towards research and resources for those in the community. This cause means a lot to us. We appreciate all of your support. Our hope is that more people learn about autism and are more accepting of those on the spectrum. You can find out even more about where your fundraising dollars go at autismspeaks.org/our-work.