Jersey Shore star Jenni “JWoww” Farley has revealed that her two-year-old son, Greyson, has officially been diagnosed with autism but is making “leaps and bounds when it comes to speech.”
Hollywood Life reports that the diagnosis came shortly after Jenni discussed Greyson’s struggle with speech delay during an episode of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation in August. During the episode, Jenni said Greyson was still not speaking at the age of two.
Jenni told the site that, although Greyson is still “non-verbal,” his development has been positive.
“He has co-therapies [every] week but we’re going to step it up a notch soon and get him [Applied Behavior Analysis] treatments, speech therapy,” she said, adding that her son has “made leaps and bounds when it comes to speech.”
“He’s understanding words better which was his issue,” she continued. “Not that he couldn’t speak, but he would never know what his shoe is or if you said, ‘Greyson,’ he actually didn’t even know his name at one point until he was a little over two. So now that he’s understanding simple words; he’s come so far.”
Jenni said Greyson is learning more colors and is doing sign language “so much more.”
“I’m like a proud mom over here,” she said.
Jenni who (along with estranged husband, Roger Mathews) also has a four-year-old daughter, Meilani, said her kids are still learning to understand each other as well.
“It’s just a challenge and it’s getting him to hang in with Meilani which is the biggest challenge,” she said. “Whenever you have two kids that are on different wave lengths, it’s always amusing, but Meilani still thinks she’s an only child which is also an issue.”
Despite Greyson’s diagnosis, Jenni assures her son is “living his best life.”
“It was really heartbreaking and frustrating as a mom when you see other two-year-olds that are speaking and living their best life,” she said. “Greyson is living his best life. He just doesn’t know what you are saying!”
Greyson is helping his mom live her best life as well, most recently by serving as an inspiration for her new skincare line, Naturally Woww. Jenni initially came up with the skincare idea after developing home remedied sunblock and eczema treatments for Meilani, but she later realized the remedies could be beneficial to Greyson, too.
“… I traveled to France over a year ago to study lavender and calming agents and skin agents and that was around the time that Greyson started having developmental delays where he has sensitive skin as well but he can’t tell me, ‘Oh this hurts,’ where Meilani would be like, ‘Dude, this itches! You can’t put that on me!’ But then parents started asking me and so I started making this a thing,” she said.
“It was over two years ago I started it but it was when I went to France where I said, ‘I’m going to make this and it’s going to be Naturally Woww!”
(Photos: Bennett Raglin/Getty Images; Instagram)
15 Responses
Lord have mercy….this is off subject, but did you guys see Ronnie and Jen are pregnant again?
I take it back! looks like they’re just fame whores….CARRY ON!
I almost fell out of my chair when I read this.
Sorry! I blame Perez Hilton…it was on his page smh
They knew exactly what they were doing. They posted that on the heels of Snooki’s announcement, turned off comments, kept the caption generic, and tagged their baby as her bump. Fame hungry hoes. They knew it’d get picked up in various articles.
I knew someone with autism (got diagnosed as an adult)…..it is hard. I am so glad Greyson is getting the proper need in such a young age, then he will be able to live his best life early on because he is being cared for! (Do I have a feeling the frustration about not knowing what is going on with him made their marriage crumble?)
wish I can help her to take care of her son..im not licsnced therapist but I had an intensive experience in taking care an autism.baby as a nanny…pls email me if u are interested.
Um what exactly is “an autism baby”? I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for her email…
I can’t imagine frustration. My 2 year old daughter soeaks full sentences with proper adverbs. He’ll get there. The sister still feeling like an only child 2 years in to having a brother has nothing to do with his speech issues. That’s just weird.
Best wishes to baby Greyson and his diagnosis. It’s only up from here. I’m not the biggest Jwoww fan but she seems like a good mom.
As someone with a child who’s developmentally delayed, it’s tough. So I feel for her. It’s a lot of work and a lot of frustration, but seeing them start making those connections is amazing because you know how much harder it is for them.
aw this has got to be rough for them…at least now they have answers as to why his speech is delayed.
Right, and have Greyson in therapies to help.
Greyson is the cutest little chunk. I’m glad she’s speaking about this and trying to educate
I couldn’t imagine, not only not being able to communicate but also to not be understood. Poor little guy. That’s so tough for everybody involved.