MAHOMET – Sixth-grader Nathan Hites won third place last weekend at the Association of Christian Schools International's national spelling bee in Washington.

It was his second trip to the national spelling bee in two years.

The 12-year-old did it by guessing how to spell "thrasonical," which means bragging or boastful.

Neither he nor his mom and coach, Susie Hites, had seen the word before.

"It's nice that he doesn't know what that word means," she said.

Though he didn't know that one, Hites and his mom throw around huge words for fun. They know them well – Hites has been studying since Thanksgiving break.

To advance, he had to win a spelling bee against all the students in his class at Judah Christian School in Champaign. Then, he won the association's sixth-grade district bee, which included all winners from Illinois, and then a spell-off among fifth-, sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade district winners in Illinois. He won fourth place in his nine-state region, which sent him to nationals.

Learning to ask more questions about the words was one way Hites said he improved his standing at the national bee this year. Last year, he finished in a seven-way tie for 19th place.

Spelling bee organizers said the 42 competing last Saturday in Washington beat out about a million other Christian-school students for the chance to compete, Hites' father Michael said.

It was an especially proud experience for Michael and Susie, and not just because their son is a talented speller. He was born three months premature, but never had brain bleeds or lung problems that could've given him severe special needs later in life.

He started reading at age 2, but as he started school, his parents noticed his social skills weren't developing at the same rate as other kids'.

By the time he was in second grade, doctors had discovered a cyst taking up 25 percent of his brain, which led to a diagnosis of Dandy Walker Variant. The area of his brain that allows the right and left sides to communicate looks like Swiss cheese, as well, Susie Hites said.

That condition caused what's called Nonverbal Learning Disability, which is on the autism spectrum and is similar to Asperger Syndrome.

Nathan has trouble with change, and Susie Hites prepares him for what's coming each day, which helps. He has to work hard in social situations.

"He really has to try much harder than most kids," Susie Hites said, because spelling bees are social settings. Nathan has to sit still and quiet for hours on end, which is a challenge. He works hard to recognize the feelings of the other contestants, too, she said.

After the national spelling bee, others complimented him on his good sportsmanship.

"In a sense, that is as much an achievement for him as winning third place," Susie Hites said.

Nathan Hites said those competing support each other.

"Once we got down to the final four, it was high-fives for everyone," Nathan Hites said.