Julianna Scott: Autism,Mental Health and Defying Predictions

Tony Mantor (0:00)

Hi, I'm Tony Mantor. Before we start today's show, I want to introduce you to Coast to Coast Heroes, my new podcast debuting November 11th. For our military veterans, the uniform is only part of the story. Behind it is a person and a life shaped by service, sacrifice and experiences many of us may never fully understand. Through honest, deeply personal conversations, you'll hear veterans share what they've faced, what carried them through and how they continue making a difference beyond their military service. Their strength deserves more than our gratitude. Their stories deserve our attention. Coast to Coast Heroes, the people behind the uniform, the stories beyond the headlines. Coast to Coast Heroes debuts November 11th. Please follow, listen and share. And most of all, get to know the veterans because behind every veteran is a story and listening is where understanding begins. What if everything you thought you knew about autism and mental health wasn't the full story? Today's conversation might change the way you see it. Welcome to Why Not Me? Embracing Autism and Mental Health Worldwide, where real conversations and lived experiences inspire understanding and hope. I'm Tony Mantor. This is where understanding begins. If this kind of conversation matters to you, then follow the show, so you don't miss what comes next. When a child is diagnosed with autism, parents are often handed more than a diagnosis. They may be also offered predictions on what their child may not be able to do. My guest today, Julianna Scott, knows exactly how that feels. When her son was diagnosed autistic at two years old, she was told he would never be mainstreamed in school, never drive a car, and never live independently. Today, at 25, he has done all three. The journey between those two points was anything but easy. She and her family faced years of behavioral challenges, changing schools, anxiety, depression, OCD, loneliness, and the uncertainty that comes along with raising a child when no one can truly tell you what the future will hold. Those experiences eventually helped her and her co-host, Kelly Jensen, to create The Refrigerator Mom's podcast, where they share what they've learned, while encouraging families to research, advocate, and find what works for their child. Today, we talk about autism, mental health, marriage, and family, letting go of predictions, and sometimes the most important thing a parent can do is to focus not on where a child is supposed to be 25 years from now, but on helping them take that next step forward. Thanks for joining me today.

Julianna Scott (2:52)

Thank you.

Tony Mantor (2:52)

Oh, it's my pleasure. Take me back to the beginning. Before autism became a major part of your life, what did you imagine motherhood would look like? And when did you first realize that your path forward might be a little different?

Julianna Scott (3:06)

Well, my vision for motherhood was, well, I never thought I was going to be a stay-at-home mom. That was never the plan.

Tony Mantor (3:14)

Okay.

Julianna Scott (3:15)

So, my first child is the one who was diagnosed with autism. So, my plan was, I had a plan. When he was born, I took time off of work, and then my husband and I wanted two children. So, we decided to have two children. They're 21 months apart.

Tony Mantor (3:32)

Okay.

Julianna Scott (3:33)

While I was pregnant with my youngest, my plan was to go to law school.

So, while I was pregnant with my youngest, I took the LSATs. The biggest challenge was getting through the LSAT, you know, six months pregnant and not needing a break.

Tony Mantor (3:47)

Sure.

Julianna Scott (3:48)

That was the biggest task. So, my plan was then I would go to night school, and by the time my youngest was ready to go to school, I would go and have a career as a lawyer.

Tony Mantor (4:01)

Okay.

Julianna Scott (4:02)

My husband is a prosecutor, and I was going to join him in the prosecutor's office. So, that was the plan. So, my vision of motherhood was I would be a working mom.

Tony Mantor (4:10)

Okay.

Julianna Scott (4:11)

So, when my youngest was about three months old, and my oldest just turned two, we noticed he was having a lot of tantrums, and what I would now call autistic meltdowns.

Tony Mantor (4:24)

Now, that's your oldest child?

Julianna Scott (4:26)

Yes, my oldest child.

Tony Mantor (4:27)

Okay.

Julianna Scott (4:27)

So, he was having lots of meltdowns, especially like every day, about an hour before my husband came home from work. He was very attached to my husband, not particularly me as much. My husband was the favorite, and he would just stand at the door and have these massive meltdowns. I just did not know what to do with it. And so, at his two-year checkup, I asked the pediatrician, I said, he's having these huge meltdowns.