What Level 2 Autism Can Look Like | Lauren Murray (S9E12)

“Most people don’t even tag her with autism, because she’s smart, she’s so articulate.” Lauren Murray Lauren Murray is a New Jersey mom of two, and her daughters are almost twenty years apart. Her oldest is about to turn 21, a UCF graduate thriving in Florida. Her youngest is four, level two autistic, with sensory processing disorder and a short list of safe foods. She is also, in Lauren’s words, doing fantastic. In this Seen and Heard episode, Lauren gives Rob an honest look at a day that starts at six in the morning and does not end until nine at night. Her husband works long days, so most of the week she is her daughter’s sole care provider. Lauren is a former teacher who kept a tight schedule at home, and school does it even better, down to the minute, and her daughter loves it. Then there is the part so many parents will feel in their chest. Lauren’s daughter is bright and verbal, she speaks better than most of her peers, and that is exactly why people do not believe she is autistic. At the park, one mom packs up her kids and leaves every time she sees them coming, because Lauren’s daughter does not understand personal space and just wants to play. In public, a meltdown gets read as a bratty toddler, when the truth is they have done everything from A to Z to get ahead of it. And the win. Flying home from a day trip to visit her oldest in Florida, their flight got canceled. They spent the night in the airport, then got emergency landed at an airport none of them had ever seen. Her four-year-old took the whole thing in stride, iPad, comfort snacks, a blanket Lauren packed just in case, a bench, and a kid who just went with the flow. Lauren also names something a lot of families hit. In New Jersey, the services show up the moment you are diagnosed, but if you do not use them inside six months, they close your file. Not because you will never need help, just because you did not need it that week. What you’ll hear: “She took it better than I did.” Lauren Murray This episode is sponsored by Mightier, a biofeedback emotional-regulation gaming program for kids, developed and tested at Boston Children’s Hospital. Kids play games that get harder when they get dysregulated and easier as they calm down, so they practice regulating themselves in the moment. Read Rob’s full review at theautismdad.com/mightier-review and use code theautismdad22 for 10% off. #ad About Rob: Rob Gorski is the founder of The Autism Dad, a blog and podcast dedicated to supporting parents raising kids on the autism spectrum. As a dad of three autistic sons with over 25 years of experience, Rob brings lived experience, honesty, and heart to every conversation. Rob’s book, So Your Child Was Just Diagnosed with Autism, lands December 29, 2026 from Fair Winds Press. Updates and preorder: theautismdad.com/book Where to find Rob: You can find me at theautismdad.com, on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok at The Autism Dad, and on YouTube at The Autism Dad. New episodes drop every week at listen.theautismdad.com.