Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Kelley Jensen and Julianna Scott, who podcast under the name Refrigerator Moms, discuss common issues parents ( especially moms) face when they have a child diagnosed with autism. We did a podcast swap- here is the link to my episode on their podcast! https://refrigeratormoms.com/overdiagnosed-or-overlooked-a-pediatrician-on-autism-today/ Kelley Jensen is a parent of two adult children, one of those being her son, Beau. Beau is 26 years old with severe autism. He was diagnosed at the age of 3 years old. They reside in San Jose, California. When Kelley received the diagnosis, she was extremely overwhelmed. She admits to going through many emotions, including the stages of grief. One of her mottos is “Speed to Acceptance,” which has helped her and other moms. In spite of her son’s disability, she describes him as thriving and meeting his potential. Their family’s journey of advocacy, patience, resilience, self- actualization, and community has expanded from their home to a clinic, Brain Performance Technologies, where she is the marketing director. In this role, she advocates for those who struggle with depression, thoughts of suicide, anxiety, OCD, autism, and traumatic brain injury. Julianna Scott is a parent of two adult sons, one on the spectrum. Even though her nest is now empty, the title “autism mom” still applies. After 25 years, the lessons learned about acceptance, friendship, and doing what’s best for your family have been hard won. Outside of the podcast, Julianna is an independent college counselor who works with many neurodivergent students. Julianna met Kelley Jensen, more than 20 years ago, when their autistic kids were in the same gymnastics class, and they bonded over their shared challenges, candidness, and sense of humor. They started the Refrigerator Moms podcast and resource-rich website to share with other moms their approach to thinking critically about the issues the autism community is talking about right now, and together they tackle topics with the same fierceness they bring as advocates for their sons. Cover art by Charlotte Feldman Please note that while I am a pediatrician, I am not your child's pediatrician. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. For any medical concerns or decisions, please reach out to your child’s health care professional.
