Amy Schumer has spoken candidly about her two-year-old son and how she doesn’t “have a preference” if he has the autism gene or not.
The I Feel Pretty star, 40, discussed how she would feel if her child, Gene, is eventually diagnosed with autism during an appearance on Chelsea Handler’s podcast, Dear Chelsea. Schumer noted how her husband, Chris Fischer, 42, was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as an adult. The actor first revealed Fischer’s diagnosis in her 2019 Netflix special, Growing.
“I think the statistics are pretty strong toward he will most likely have autism,” she explained about her son. “Parents have different journeys with this. Having a child with severe autism is beyond my imagination difficult.”
“But if Gene does wind up having ASD, I’m not looking for the signs in a way that is upsetting, I’m not hoping either way,” she added. “Most of my favourite people are on the spectrum.”
And while Schumer said that Gene may be a bit too young to get diagnosed, she “doesn’t have a preference” either way if he ever is on the spectrum.
“He’s two and a half and I think they don’t diagnose children until maybe six at the earliest I think,” she explained. “You can see some signs but the diagnosis doesn’t come until later and I can say honestly I don’t have a preference either way. You just want your kids to be healthy and happy.”
As noted by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), ASD “can sometimes be detected at 18 months or younger.” At the age of two, a diagnosis by a professional can be “very reliable.” But, many children aren’t given a “final diagnosis” until they’re a lot older.
Previously, Schumer has opened up about the topic on social media. Back in 2019, an Instagram user commented on one of the Trainwreck star’s posts with her son, asking her how she would “cope with the possibility that [her] child will be on the spectrum.”
In response, via People, Schumer wote: “How I cope? I don’t see being on the spectrum as a negative thing. My husband is my favourite person I’ve ever met. He’s kind, hilarious, interesting and talented and I admire him. Am I supposed to hope my son isn’t like that?”
“I will pay attention and try to provide him with the tools he needs to overcome whatever challenges come up like all parents,” she added.
Shen then joked that she’d be “disappointed” if her child liked Big Bang Theory and Nascar, not if he had ASD.
