Christine McGuinness has revealed she feared about becoming a "carer for life" after her children were diagnosed with autism. During an appearance on Friday's Good Morning Britain, the 31-year-old opened about the difficulties of parenting she faced with her husband, TV presenter Paddy McGuinness. "When they first got diagnosed, we went and looked into it," she shared. "This is a lifetime condition, there's nothing that goes to fix it."
The model is a mother to twins Penelope and Leo, five, and two-year-old daughter Felicity. Christine and Paddy's twins were diagnosed with autism in 2017 and Felicity has been showing signs of autism; she is yet to be diagnosed until she is at least three or four. "I thought, am I going to be a full-time carer forever," she added. "But it has got better through therapy, speech therapy and play therapy. It's been different than other parents, the first four years certainly - I feel terrible saying this - but I felt more like a carer not a mum. It's only the last year that things have got easier."
READ: Christine McGuinness admits she 'feels like a single parent' in marriage to Paddy
The mum-of-three went on to confess her surprise that the condition was passed down from herself and Paddy, saying: "I think it is hereditary. I really struggle with socialising, the food, beige food, I'm very fussy. I like things plain and I think it's in a bit of both of us." Her youngest daughter Felicity is believed to have the condition. "Every child is different," she noted. "Penelope didn't like to be held as a child. Felicity, because I understand it now - she's more happy. She does things like she tenses with excitement. She walks on tiptoes."
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On the twins' fourth birthday in 2017, the Blackpool-born model revealed their autism diagnosis to the world, writing on Instagram: "You amaze me every day, because you are beautiful inside and out, in an extra special way… I love you unconditionally, and I will encourage you both to embrace your autism. Because you are totally unique and fantastically awesome. All my love always, Mummy."
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