Em Rusciano is learning how to deal with her three-year-old son’s autism diagnosis.
In a candid Instagram post on Tuesday, the comedian, 43, discussed how Elio’s symptoms are becoming more noticeable as he gets older.
‘Elio’s autism is really beginning to make itself known,’ she wrote.
Parenting struggles: Em Rusciano is learning how to deal with her three-year-old son Elio’s autism diagnosis
‘He had five separate meltdowns on the beach today. We got looks. “He’s autistic,” I said to one couple who moved away,’ she added.
‘I wanted to loudly yell to everyone looking at us, “He’s actually magic, he’s just very particular about certain things, sounds, smells and textures!”‘
Em added that she struggles during these situations because her ‘resilience is low’ due to her own autism and ADHD diagnoses.
‘The loud shouty noises he makes, set my sensory issues off,’ she explained. ‘I feel overwhelmed and panicked. I find it hard to make quick decisions.’
‘Overwhelmed and panicked’: In a candid Instagram post on Tuesday, the comedian, 43, discussed how Elio’s symptoms are becoming more noticeable as he gets older
The former radio presenter said she was scared about what the future holds.
‘The truth is, the reality of what we have ahead of us has finally sunk in, and I don’t know how I’m going to go with it all, and that’s terrifying,’ she concluded.
Em revealed Elio’s diagnosis in May.
‘Elio was diagnosed with autism a couple of weeks ago. Lots of you had questions,’ she explained in an Instagram post.
‘Especially about the process, which was A PROCESS. So what now?
‘He had five separate meltdowns on the beach today. We got looks. “He’s autistic,” I said to one couple who moved away,’ she wrote. ‘I wanted to loudly yell to everyone looking at us, “He’s actually magic, he’s just very particular about certain things, sounds, smells and textures!”‘
‘Well, I’m really focused on making sure that he gets to be all that he is. I understand what it’s like to move through life with our brain, and I don’t want it to be anything like it has been for me, for him.
‘He’s an incredible kid, no doubt, but I can already see how the world is going to try and clip his wings. So his dad and I and his sisters are going to do all that we can to make sure his wings are bullet proof.’
Em also revealed her 14-year-old daughter Odette had been diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) last year.
Just weeks ago, the singer revealed in an Instagram video that she was worried people think she is ‘making up’ being neurodivergent.
‘The neurodiverse urge to over-explain and justify your symptoms and lived experience to neurotypical people because you were diagnosed late and have learned how to mask your entire life and you don’t want them to think you’re making it up or doing it just for attention,’ she said, without taking a breath.
Last year, Em revealed she had faced backlash for opening up about her own struggles with ADHD and autism.
She shared a post imploring her followers to ‘be willing to understand [children] if they have autism or ADHD or both, as I do’.
However, one mother took offence at the post, accusing the podcast host of ‘jumping on a trend’.
‘I find it hard to make quick decisions’: Em added that she struggles during these situations because her ‘resilience is low’ due to her own autism and ADHD diagnoses
In a candid video recorded in her car, Em said: ‘I was a kid in school that was constantly told I wasn’t living up to my potential.
‘So now I’m an adult who never feels good enough and is always overreaching.’
‘If you can teach your kids to advocate for themselves, and you help them and you get a teacher who’s just willing to put in that little bit of extra [work] and be willing to understand them if they have autism or ADHD or both, as I do.
‘Their potential is endless.’
Uncertain: The former radio presenter said she was scared about what the future holds