Today's Amazing Children

Meet Ernest

Video Transcript

Ernest, nicknamed “Junior”, is a lovable and handsome, nine year old African American boy who is placed in a medical foster home. Ernest was placed in this home on February 10, 2009 and remains there presently. Fortunately, Ernest has been able to experience stability there, as this has been his only foster placement. Ernest is placed in a medical home due to having cerebral palsy (with weakness on the left side), autism, allergies, and a propensity for seizures. Due to having autism and developmental delays, Ernest is in the special education program at his school.

Prior to entering foster care, Ernest had been living with his maternal grandmother since birth. Due to health issues the grandmother experienced, she was no longer able to care for Ernest. Ernest has adjusted well to living in his current foster home. Occasionally, he can exhibit tantrums, although is easily re-directed. The tantrums occur more at the school, rather than the home.

Ernest is a very musical child with a pleasant voice. He greatly enjoys singing and playing his keyboard. One can hear him singing lyrics to popular songs from the radio. A style of music he appears to enjoy particularly is rhythm and blues. Ernest has been observed singing, “Baby, baby, baby….” He has an incredible memory for lyrics and tunes and has been observed singing multiple songs from opposite genres back to back, somewhat like a human jukebox. Ernest is also frequently crouching or lying next to his keyboard tapping on various keys, while pressing his hear up to the speaker. He treasures that keyboard and will protectively scoot it closer to him if there are other children in the room. Yet another specialty of Ernest’s is bouncing a ball up and down. He plays with plastic balls and basketballs alike. He is quite a skilled dribbler and he has much strength in his right arm since he uses it so much. Also, despite his delays, Ernest has made great strides recently. He is now able to count to forty, recite the pledge of allegiance, and read short sentences aloud.

Ernest loves to laugh and give hugs on occasion. His foster parents describe him as a happy child with a big smile. Ernest will need a family who is able to cherish and focus on his different abilities, rather than his disabilities. Ernest needs a forever family who is willing to love him for the rest of his life and care for him well into adulthood, if he is not able to gain independence.