My buddy

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There's this little boy I sometimes work with. I'm not technically assigned to him but he needs the support more than the boy I am assigned to at times. This kid exhausts me. I'm so tired at the end of the day because I already am an introvert but add in the constant redirecting and I don't have much left in me at the end of the day. This kid is so difficult. He is always saying something inappropriate and almost never does anything he is supposed to do. I asked him why he thinks it's ok to say the things he says and he said "It isn't OK". I then asked why he said it and it just hurt so much when he said "I try but my brain won't stop me!" I know he is struggling so much throughout the day and I know he doesn't have the best home life. I feel bad because he's always trying to hug me and lean on me but he smells bad and his hands are always in his mouth and nose and I just don't want his slobbery hands on me. My other buddy leans on me all the time and it doesn't bother me because he's pretty clean. When this guy washes his hands and wants to hug me I allow it and I hug him back and one time I told him no because he just had his fingers in his mouth and he goes "OK, hold on" and ran and washed his hands just to hug me and it melted my heart a little. This poor kid just wants love and attention. I told him if he'd keep his hands out of his mouth and nose it wouldn't bother me but I don't want his slobber and snot all over me. One day I did let him sit in my lap at the one assembly we went to because it was the only way he'd sit and listen. For some reason, he likes me more than almost anyone else in the building and I can't figure out why. I feel like I am onto him more than almost anyone else but I also love him so maybe he feels that. I have never been really mean to him I've been stern but I have seldom ever yelled at him. He always wants to sit by me and wants me to do things with him. The other day he drew a picture and said that it was of him and me and pointed out both of us. He is so darn sweet and kills me that he has all of this potential but because his parents won't get him the help he needs he'll never get what he needs. My other buddy that I'm actually assigned to is one of my favorite people and he is probably one of the funniest humans I know but I think about how his parents are amazing with him and have made sure he gets what he needs and work with him and I've seen him make all of these improvements over the past year whereas the other buddy is probably worse than last year in a lot of ways. He's seven and acts like a three year old. He needs so much love and he needs someone who puts his needs above their own wants. I think they want him to be a "normal" kid and he isn't but really no one is. They want him to be something he isn't and by not acknowledging what he needs they are setting him up for failure and it kills me. I'd love to be able to make sure this child gets the attention he deserves. I think about how stinking adorable he is with his big smile and how sweet he can be and I wonder how it is his parents can continually deny him everything he needs? He could be so much more. He is worth so much more.