Before his ex Brittany Cartwright shared with the world that their son had been diagnosed with autism, Jax Taylor was a little nervous for the news to go public. Speaking with PEOPLE at the premiere of season 2 of The Valley, the reality TV star, 45, explained why he felt a little anxious about his estranged wife sharing the news that their 3-year-old son had been officially diagnosed with autism, saying that processing the news can be different when you're a public figure. "I was nervous. Brittany and I knew this for a while," he tells PEOPLE of his son's diagnosis. "We didn't know how we were going to come about. It's a lot different when you're a public figure, how we're going to handle the situation, what people are going to say." Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "It's not my son's choice to be in the public. Unfortunately, his mom and dad are so we have to play this very smart. I'm so excited to be a part of any kind of autism awareness, any kind of charity," the proud dad continues. "I want to be involved with all of it. And I want to meet parents that are going through what I'm going through." As for how his son is doing today, Taylor says they're taking it day-by-day and that Cruz has been enrolled in occupational therapy and different classes. "It's all about repetition, going to school and speech and his occupational therapy and his classes and his soccer," Taylor says. "He's very, very smart." "He's just nonverbal right now. And, you know, everything else is pretty on point. He's a heck of a swimmer. He's amazing in the pool and he's just so lovable," he says. "He's just like his mother. He's a lovable guy." Earlier this week, Cartwright shared with PEOPLE that the former couple's toddler son has been diagnosed with autism. Though Cruz is mostly nonverbal, Cartwright said he will “sporadically say different words,” like "Mommy.” "It can be difficult because I've never heard him say, 'I love you,' but he is so loving, and he shows me he loves me every single day," she said. "He is such a mommy's boy." Though Cartwright said they were "expecting" the diagnosis, hearing it from his doctor made things more "real." "Our life is going to look a little bit different, but I feel like I was meant to be his mom," she said. "He is my better half. He is my little partner in crime. He is everything to me, and even though he can't talk, I know everything that he wants, everything that he needs. We're just so synced, it's incredible."