Nick Cannon and Abby De La Rosa reveal their son Zillion’s autism diagnosis

“We have accepted this assignment wholeheartedly,” the parents wrote on social media.

Nick Cannon and Abby De La Rosa are shedding light on their 2-year-old son Zillion’s autism diagnosis. 

The “Masked Singer” host and the radio personality shared the update about their toddler in a joint Instagram post on Tuesday, commemorating World Autism Awareness Day.

The post featured a video of Cannon, Zillion, Zillion’s twin brother Zion, and the co-parents’ one-year-old daughter Beautiful enjoying a twilight easter egg hunt in the backyard, with the father of 12 sporting a bunny costume for the occasion.

“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 [Autism Spectrum Disorder],” the caption began. 

The caption continued with the parents noting how Zillion is “joining the unique energy of others” who have reportedly shared the diagnosis, including Nikola Tesla, Sir Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, and Michelangelo. 

“Our beautiful boy experiences life in 4D and teaches us something new every day (sic),” Cannon and De La Rosa wrote before noting that their son’s “love, strength, and brilliance light up every room he enters.”

They added, “We are blessed that God had placed such an amazing spirit under our guardianship and we have accepted this assignment wholeheartedly.”

The post arrived as National Autism Acceptance Month, which lasts through April 30, 2024, is kicking off. The co-parents’ announcement also arrives as autism diagnoses are increasing in American children and, for the first time ever, have become more common among Black and brown children than white children.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 2.9% of Black children have some form of an autism spectrum disorder. The rise in diagnoses among Black and brown children is due in part to an increase in understanding of the spectrum, and greater access to care. The condition, which is assessed generally by age 8 by evaluating a child’s behavior, was formerly diagnosed more prevalently among white upper-middle-class families who had access to specialists.

While there’s been a rise in diagnoses among Black and brown children, many still face barriers to care. Based on a recent report by Simons Powering Autism Research (SPARK), Black families pursuing care can experience anything from racism within the medical system to stigmas to culturally incompetent providers to lack of access and more. Organizations like The Color of Autism, which helps Black families get connected with culturally competent care, attempt to bridge the gap. 

Cannon and De La Rosa ended their post with a declaration: “On this World Autism Awareness Day, we extend our embrace to families worldwide, acknowledging shared challenges and championing understanding. Together, let’s create a world of acceptance and compassion.”

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