A.J.’s Story of Autism Care

When A.J. was two years old, his parents, Janelle and Alan, noticed he was starting to miss developmental milestones like making eye contact and learning words. Looking for answers, they took him to be evaluated and he was soon diagnosed with autism. Together, the family embarked on the lifelong journey of discovering how to support A.J.   

A.J. was still struggling with speech and was unable to complete tasks like writing or tying his shoes when his journey took a positive turn after receiving Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) at Judson Center. Thanks to the compassionate care he received, A.J., now 12 years old, has finally found his voice.    

While Janelle and Alan know that being autistic makes A.J. different, they also recognize that it’s those very differences that are truly his superpowers.

The family is grateful for finding a place where “Super A.J.” can be himself. Alan says, “We know he is 100% cared for at Judson Center. And we have no question about dropping him off every day and feeling that he’s going to come back better than when he left.” But as anyone who meets A.J. knows far too well, when you encounter this smiling giant you’ll be the one who comes back better than you were before – especially if you’re lucky enough to receive one of his famous hugs.