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Real Housewives of New Jersey star Jacqueline Laurita reveals that her three-year-old son has been diagnosed with autism. 

Laurita tells the latest issue of People magazine -- on newsstands Friday -- that she first noticed her son Nicholas regressing with his speech and having difficulties with motor skills at age 18 months. "We had no idea what was going on," she tells the magazine, adding that she hid her son's recently diagnosed medical condition during the taping of season four last year.

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"I worry about him being independent when he's older," says Jacqueline, who has two other children, Ashlee, 21, and C.J., 10. "I spend all my time researching what we can do for him." Her husband tells the magazine, "You never want to think that your child isn't perfectly healthy. We didn't want to believe it was true."

Pick up a copy of People to read more about the autism diagnosis and her son's treatment options, as well as how the disease will affect her participation in The Real Housewives of New Jersey.