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Vanderpump Rules<\/em> alum Brittany Cartwright<\/strong><\/a> opened up about her son, Cruz, who she shares with estranged husband Jax<\/strong> Taylor<\/strong><\/a>, and revealed that he was diagnosed with autism.<\/p>\n \u201cOur life is going to look a little bit different, but I feel like I was meant to be his mom,\u201d Brittany, 36, told People<\/em><\/a> in an interview published on Wednesday, April 9. \u201cHe is my better half. He is my little partner in crime. He is everything to me, and even though he can\u2019t talk, I know everything that he wants, everything that he needs. We\u2019re just so synched, it\u2019s incredible.\u201d<\/p>\n The Valley<\/em> star said that Cruz, who will turn 4 on April 12, crawled and walked early, but she and Jax, 45, began to notice he was \u201cregressing in his speech\u201d when he was about to turn 2 years old. Brittany shared that Cruz \u201calmost stopped talking completely.\u201d While he\u2019s \u201cmostly nonverbal,\u201d he will \u201csporadically say different words,\u201d like \u201cMommy.\u201d<\/p>\n Before now, Brittany had only told her close friends and family about Cruz\u2019s diagnosis.<\/p>\n \u201cI wrote this paragraph out and talked about his diagnosis, what it meant, what we\u2019re working on and how I felt like I was meant for this,\u201d the Bravo star explained.<\/p>\n She added, \u201cYes, it might be challenging at times<\/a>, but I couldn\u2019t imagine my life being different. It can be sad at times because you want them to live life to the fullest, and he does, he just does it in a different way. What I really want people to understand about autism is he sees the world so much more vibrant and amazing than any of us ever will. It doesn\u2019t mean that he\u2019s not going to be the smartest in his class. It doesn\u2019t mean he is not going to work for NASA one day. There aren\u2019t any limitations to what he can do.\u201d<\/p>\n For now, Brittany said that she\u2019s focused mainly on \u201cearly intervention.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the time he\u2019s building his brain,\u201d she told the outlet. \u201cI\u2019m just trying to do everything I possibly can to help him live the happiest life ever. I feel very blessed that I\u2019m able to give him everything that he needs, and that\u2019s why I want to help as many mothers as I can. I have learned so much over the past couple years.\u201d<\/p>\n Fans saw Brittany and Jax begin their search for answers in season 1 of The Valley<\/em> as they put Cruz in speech and occupational therapy, and that\u2019s something he\u2019s continued to work on with professionals. Plus, the Kentucky native has made some accommodations for Cruz at their house. Cruz has a sensory room, a swing set and pool at home, as well as a therapeutic companion that accompanies him to preschool to help with his social skills.<\/p>\n \u201cI just make sure that he never misses a class, never misses a therapy session,\u201d Brittany said. \u201cIf I have to work, I have the most amazing nanny in the entire world, she is literally my family. I don\u2019t know what I would do without her. Sometimes Jax will take him<\/a>. I want him to learn things as well, but the majority of the time, it\u2019s me. And I feel like I need to be there, I need to be learning what\u2019s going on, so that I can really work with him at home as well.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n