Jamie-Lynn Sigler Says Son Beau, 11, Is 'Coming Out on the Other Side' Following Autoimmune Diagnosis (Exclusive)

Sigler spoke to PEOPLE about her new campaign for Alexa Emergency Assist, a personalized safety service available through Amazon Echo devices

Jamie-Lynn Sigler says her 11-year-old son Beau is "doing really, really well" following his diagnosis with the rare inflammatory autoimmune disorder, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM).

"I'm proud of him, and he's coming out on the other side and so, for me as a mom, I'm doing a lot better, too," The Sopranos actress, 43, tells PEOPLE in an exclusive interview about her new campaign for Alexa Emergency Assist, a personalized safety service available through Amazon Echo devices.

ADEM is an acute, rapidly progressive autoimmune disease that affects the brain and spinal cord and is typically caused by inflammation due to a prior infection or immunization, per the National Institute of Health. Sigler first revealed her son's “nightmare” diagnosis on Instagram on Aug. 6, writing that what first seemed like "a normal virus" soon "turned into a nightmare."

Speaking to PEOPLE weeks after that diagnosis, Sigler says her family's life was slowly "stepping into a little bit of normalcy again."

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Related: Jamie-Lynn Sigler Reveals Son Beau Has Been Diagnosed with Autoimmune Disorder After Catching a Virus

In a conversation just hours after her other son, Jack, 6, went to his first day of school, Sigler reflected on the tumult of the recent weeks and the importance of maintaining a safety plan at hom in case of medical emergencies.

"In general, I think between my own health and now, with particular things with my kids, it's always been really important for my family to have the confidence, knowledge and tools about what to do in case of emergency," Sigler, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) at the age of 20, tells PEOPLE.

She continues: "We can have conversations with our kids about what to do, but in that moment of God forbid, an emergency, it feels like all those things can go out the window. Panic ensues, everybody gets nervous."

Sigler, her husband Cutter Dykstra, and their sons have Alexa Emergency Assist (AEA) programmed into all of their in-home Echo devices. The program allows users to be quickly connected to trained Urgent Response agents who can request dispatch of emergency services in moments of need.

"I travel a lot for work, my husband travels a lot for work. While we leave [the boys] with perfectly capable caregivers, the ability for them to feel empowered to protect themselves teaches them to prioritize safety," Sigler says.

As the boys don't have phones, a device that allows for easy access to emergency responders — and the ability to call neighbors, and family friends during an emergency — is paramount.

"One of my kids has severe allergies to certain medications. I have my [MS], my other son has his specific things... all the stuff that you would have to explain to a first responder, the urgent response agents do that for you," Sigler says of AEA. "That peace of mind, that if I'm not here, all of that information can be passed on ... I can't express enough [how important that is.]"

Because of her own diagnosis with MS. Sigler says her sons have always had a keen understanding of the importance of health and safety. Now, with Beau's recent diagnosis, that knowledge has become even more crucial.

"I'm proud of them. I really do feel like they are well supported and loved, because we have an open dialogue about everything," she says. "I use the word 'empowered a lot because I want to give them the confidence to know themselves, their bodies, their situations, what they need, and that they can ask for help."

Related: Jamie-Lynn Sigler’s 10-Year-Old Son Beau Leaves Hospital 33 Days After ‘Nightmare’ Diagnosis

Sigler has been very public about her MS diagnosis, even hosting a podcast, MeSsy, about it with friend and fellow actress Christina Applegate.

"We're in a beautiful time, because it [once] felt taboo to talk about things that you might have struggled with, or things that plagued you Through the conversations I have with Christina and through the podcast, I think we're understanding the power that it gives us and the beautiful things it brought to our lives. Like asking for help and receiving help," Sigler says.

She continues: "Even in this situation with my son, I used to have a really hard time asking for anything. But because in my life but because it was for him, I had no problem. Seeing the village, and the community and the outpouring of love has been one of the greatest gifts from this experience."

Sigler adds that the help she's gotten from both healthcare professionals and the greater community has been heartwarming and imperative.

"You want to protect them from everything," Sigler says of her boys. "Especially in this situation we just went through, peace of mind is more important now than ever."

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