As a couple navigating love & real life together, you find yourselves facing something nobody prepared you for — raising a child on the autism spectrum. Whether you just got the diagnosis or you've been in it for years, there's a community of people who get it, & this episode is for you. This episode delivers raw, honest conversation to help you feel seen when navigating an autism or special needs diagnosis.We're talking through some of the important questions & realizations like: - The early signs of autism- How do I get my child evaluated?- How is autism diagnosed? - What happens when one parent is in denial about an autism diagnosis? - How do you find time to date your spouse when you have a special needs child?- How do you handle meltdowns in public?- Who handles the mental load when caregiving never stops?- How do I get my autistic kid in school? - What is ABA therapy? We also talk about the systems set up for autistic kids and the hoops we have to jump through to find them. The spaces that say they accommodate autistic kids but fail to do so. And underneath all of it — how do you not lose yourself? How do you grieve the life you planned while fully loving the life you have? - Is it okay to be sad when your child gets diagnosed with autism? How do you stay a couple when the weight of special needs parenting threatens to turn you into co-workers instead of lovers?As a husband and wife living this every day, Ifie & X bring the kind of unfiltered, grounded conversation that most podcasts skip. They've built King Meets Queen because love, culture, & real life don't pause when parenting gets hard.It's time to press play & know you are not alone. 👑Also, sharing a few links for resources below that we talk about in the episode (these are mostly Atlanta specific but please look for similar services in your town): - Babies Can't Wait: https://dph.georgia.gov/babies-cant-wait- Hopebridge Autism Center: https://bit.ly/4qUctF3- Dr. Poulos with Intown Pediatric Behavioral Wellness: https://intownwellness.org/Topics covered: autism parents | autism spectrum disorder | neurodivergent parenting | special needs parenting | autism diagnosis | autism and marriage | Black autism families | caregiver burnout | IEP advocacy | autism stigma | mental load | raising autistic children | autism mom | autism dad | Black love | cultural identity | autism in the Black community🎙️ New episodes dropping weekly — subscribe so you never miss one.📲 Find us: [https://www.instagram.com/thekingmeetsqueen/] | [https://www.tiktok.com/@thekingmeetsqueen/video/7602870844280376589 | [https://www.youtube.com/@UCEOnM-pTMFGzu09EZQWxS3Q ]