Tyler Baltierra Admits Mom Thought "Something Is Going On" Ahead of Autism Diagnosis

In between seasons of Teen Mom: The Next Chapter and whatever else MTV cooks up for the reality stars, Catelynn and Tyler Baltierra keep fans informed of their lives on their podcast, Cate & Ty Break It Down. And, in the Aug. 27, 2025, episode, Tyler reveals his autism diagnosis as he discusses his mental health and other diagnoses over the years.

Mental health in general is something that Catelynn and Tyler have always been open about, both on social media and on TV. They tend to encourage each other and other people to speak to therapists when needed, and, according to Tyler on the podcast, it was a conversation with his doctor that led him to get tested for autism.

Tyler explains on the podcast that, even when he was a kid, he knew he reacted to things or behaved in a way that had his mom asking what was going on. In his words, he says that his mom once said, "Something is going on," in reference to his behavior. But it wasn't until he began to see similar behavior in his and Catelynn's daughter, Vaeda Baltierra, that he realized he should be tested for autism.

He also admits he was "kicked out of school" and "multiple daycares" because of his behavior with no explanation of why or how his mother might get help to understand his behavior.

"I remember going through life thinking, 'OK, everyone is probably dealing with the same thing that I am.'"

He also suggests that he might have been previously misdiagnosed with ADHD and bipolar disorder, which, he and Catelynn explain, can happen with those on the autism spectrum.

Catelynn says during the episode that she believes, "culturally," people look at those on the autism spectrum as needing to be "severely autistic for it to even come to their mind." She adds that, "It's a spectrum for a reason."

During the podcast episode, Tyler also explains how his doctor told him he "ranks super high in masking." According to the National Autism Society, masking is a tool used by some individuals with an autism diagnosis who try to blend in with people around them who are not on the spectrum. By mirroring behaviors that they see in other people, those who mask can copy them to blend in.

Tyler says that his doctor told him that he has "dissected all the things socially growing up" that helped him know "what's acceptable and what's not acceptable." As a result, he was able to mask and blend in.

Now, according to Tyler and Carelynn on their podcast, they plan to have their daughter formally tested for autism. Their hope is that they can help her better understand herself in a way that Tyler was not able to as a child.