[Vaelia]

My son is 7 yrs old. He is on the autism spectrum so consistency is especially important for a child of his needs. Over the years his father has shown blatant disregard for him on a number of occasions often going months without visiting him, twice going a full year, and recently ignoring him entirely for almost 2 full years. After a brief visit we did not see him again for a couple of months, and now he wants to see him again. I feel I have been civil and more than accommodating to this man's whims for far too long. I'd like to know what steps I should take, who I need to see, to deny him visitation hereafter. It's clear this is a pattern that has not changed, nor will it, and I'd like to save my son heartache in the future as he begins to understand more and ask questions like "Why doesn't my Dad see me more?". I should add, he lives a mere 20minutes away and in addition to avoiding physical visitation, he also attempts NO contact whatsoever with my son even at my urging him to write him or call him just to speak with him. I need for these games to stop. My son does not deserve to be played with as an old toy a child grows tired of.

[Wondergirl]

Is it possible the boy's father is somewhere on the autism spectrum? There is often a genetic component to autism. He may have no concept of what it means to be a father.