There are parts of profound autism parenting that most people will never witness and many would never believe. In this episode, Autism Mom Sarah Kernion and Jamie Hrobar, a mother navigating one of the most extreme and misunderstood forms of autism, speak openly about her 21-year-old son, whose life is shaped by relentless self-injury, aggression, fragile communication, and complete dependence for every daily living skill.
Jamie’s story is one of unimaginable intensity: her son hit himself (once counted at 40,000 times a month), lives with constant neurological distress, and struggles to communicate even the most basic needs. She shares not just the clinical realities, but the emotional ones—what it feels like to love a child whose body is at risk every day, and to parent in a world that does not understand or support families facing profound autism.
This episode is not meant to shock; it is meant to validate, humanize, and bear witness. It honors Jamie’s courage and the countless caregivers who live in crisis-level conditions with little acknowledgment or help.
For families walking similar paths, this conversation says: You are not imagining how hard this is. You are not alone.
For those outside this reality, it offers a rare chance to understand the truth of profound autism—and why meaningful support must begin with seeing these families clearly.
This is Jamie’s story. And it is the story of so many others who deserve to be heard.
Jaime Hrobar is a writer, autism mom, and advocate who shares hope, humor, and authenticity, through her Facebook page Homebound and Healing—a blog about autism, family, recovery, and spirituality that explores finding peace, joy, and perspective through life’s hardest moments.
A mother of two children on the spectrum, including a twenty-one-year-old son with profound non-speaking autism, Jaime draws on over two decades of firsthand experience with IEPs, disability rights, therapies, and complex behavioral challenges. She uses her experience to guide others through education systems, therapeutic supports, and the emotional realities of parenting, making her a trusted advocate and source of encouragement for families navigating similar journeys.
You can find all of her work here:
https://www.facebook.com/HomeboundandHealing
https://www.jaimehrobar.com
https://www.instagram.com/jaimehrobar/
Chapters
- (00:00:00) - One child's extreme self-injury
- (00:00:53) - Jamie Robar on the Special Needs Mom Community
- (00:02:02) - Autistic Moms on Motherhood
- (00:06:35) - Seeking the Autism Experts
- (00:10:56) - Sarah on the Battle
- (00:14:35) - Jamie on her Autism Facebook Page
- (00:19:55) - Hurricane Florence parallels New Jersey family's life
- (00:21:02) - Jim's autism mom on the current political climate
- (00:26:34) - Autism mom on the search for a residential placement
- (00:31:45) - On the Fear of a Caretaker
- (00:38:04) - A caregiver's message about her husband's illness
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