HEALTH'Teen Mom' Star Tyler Baltierra Reveals Shocking Autism Diagnosis: 'It's Just the Way My Brain Works'
The 'Teen Mom' star was diagnosed with autism in his 30s.
Aug. 29 2025, Updated 6:29 p.m. ET
Teen Mom star Tyler Baltierra revealed on his and wife Catelynn Lowell’s “Cate & Ty: Break It Down” podcast that he was diagnosed with autism.
“It felt like a big sigh of relief,” he admitted, referring to how he reacted to the shocking diagnosis. “Then I got really sad and I was like, ‘Wow!’ [Because] I just thought about all the things I went through as a kid. I just felt so sad for that little kid who wondered, ‘What's wrong with me? Something’s wrong; why am I not normal?’”
'It's Just the Way My Brain Works'
Tyler Baltierra said he saw parts of himself in his 6-year-old daughter before finally getting checked out by a physician.
The 33-year-old explained, “It’s just how my brain works,” as he credited his daughter Vaeda, 6, for helping him realize what was going on with his mind.
Over time, Tyler said he began to see how his behaviors as a child were similar to Vaeda’s current disposition. As an adult, his tendencies started to feel less like a result of anger and more like an innate and inescapable pattern.
Tyler Baltierra Credits His Daughter Vaeda for His Official Autism Diagnosis
The 'Teen Mom' star explained he was 'relieved' when he was finally diagnosed with autism.
“[I just saw] so many things in Vaeda that I’m like, ‘Oh my god, I get why she’s doing that,’” he said. “‘Oh my god, when I was a kid, I remember doing that.’ Like, wondering, ‘Why doesn’t anyone understand what I’m saying?’ Or how important this stupid little thing is to me.”
Tyler explained that the “first thing” he noticed about Vaeda’s irregular behavior was how “small things [that] should not be a big deal are a huge deal to her.”
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Tyler Baltierra Thought He Had ADHD and Was Bipolar Before Autism Diagnosis
Tyler Baltierra thought he was living with ADHD and a bipolar condition before he was diagnosed with autism.
The father-of-four noted how his mother would often chastise him as a child, telling him, “Shut your mouth and listen.” However, to him, keeping quiet felt like a feat he was unable to accomplish, noting he “thought it was impossible.”
Tyler said that because of the way his mom handled his need to express himself, he grew up believing he was suffering from attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and bipolar disorder. Despite knowing he was different, Tyler said he never “had that big of extremes.”
'Let's Just Try to Live With This Thing'
The 33-year-old said he is going to learn to 'live' with his autism.
The podcaster explained how the woman who administered the autism test told him his “mood swings” were likely a result of his daily “routine” not going as he planned.
Tyler also wondered whether an earlier diagnosis would have “changed” anything — specifically his “therapy” journey. To which he elaborated, “There’s so many things that could have been different.” However, he has made the choice to accept his past and present, saying, “Instead of trying to fix it, let’s just try to live with this thing, and I think knowing this information makes me better aware.”
