April 2 was World Autism Day and Nick Cannon and Abby De La Rosa took the opportunity to reveal that their son Zillion Heir was recently diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
“Today our family recognizes World Autism Awareness Day which is beyond meaningful to us because our amazing 2 year old, Zillion, was recently diagnosed with ASD – joining the unique energy of others like Niko Telsa, Sir Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein and Michael Angelo, just to name a few dynamic individuals,” De La Rosa wrote in a shared post with the father of 12. “Our beautiful boy experiences life in 4D and teaches us something new everyday!”
The caption was accompanied by a video of Cannon, Zillion, De La Rosa, and loved ones enjoying an Easter egg hunt outside. Cannon and De La Rosa’s other children, Zion Mixolydian (Zillion’s twin), and Beautiful Zeppelin, were also present.
“His love, strength and brilliance light up every room he enters!” she continued. “We are blessed that God had placed such an amazing spirit under our guardianship and we have accepted this assignment wholeheartedly!”
While Autism Spectrum Disorder isn’t new, it is still a disorder that can be stigmatized or misunderstood. In terms of what ASD is, it’s a “developmental disability caused by difference in the brain,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It often impacts social interactions, behavior and communication to varying degrees for each person diagnosed.
“On this World Autism Awareness Day, we extend our embrace to families worldwide, acknowledging shared challenges and championing understanding,” she concluded. “Together, let’s create a world of acceptance and compassion.”
Cannon commented on the shared post, writing, “My brilliant little guy! We love you Zilly!”
About one percent of the world’s population, or over 75,000,000, are on the autism spectrum according to the CDC. There’s also been an exponential increase in the disorder’s prevalence with a 178% increase since 2000.
