Christine McGuinness’ children have never asked her about autism: ‘I don’t want it to be a massive bombshell’

Christine McGuinness has revealed that her children have never asked her about autism, with the mum-of-three saying she doesn’t want it to be a ‘bombshell moment’ for them.

The star shares her three children, eight-year-old twins Leo and Penelope, and four-year-old Felicity, with her husband, Top Gear host Paddy McGuinness, with all three children being autistic.

Christine has been open about her children’s additional needs and said she’s ‘never hidden the word autism’ from them.

‘They’ve never asked about it, they don’t feel any different,’ she told Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford on This Morning.

‘They don’t feel any different to anyone else and I don’t want them to.’

The 33-year-old added: ‘I don’t want it to be like a big bombshell moment because it shouldn’t be’.

Christine has been open about the best moments and struggles of being a mum to autistic children. Asked why she doesn’t want to enlist outside help, she explained: ‘I always wanted to be a mum, that’s all I ever wanted.’

Christine and Paddy share their three children (Picture: Getty Images)

‘I think we will get to the point one day where we’re gonna have to get help,’ she reflected, admitting that the thought ‘scares’ her.

As for what she wants people to take away from her experience, she said she just wants people to be kinder, especially after being at the brunt of negative comments when her children were having sensory overloads.

A person who finds it difficult to process everyday sensory information can experience sensory overload, or information overload. Too much information can cause stress, anxiety, and possibly physical pain.

‘You cannot punish a child for sensory overload, that’s not their fault,’ Christine asserted, saying her priority is always comforting her children whenever it happens.

Previously speaking to Metro.co.uk, Christine explained that social media has helped her feel a lot less alone.

‘It’s always lovely when I do put something on about the children and I’ll read the comments from other parents saying they have found it comforting to know that they’re not alone,’ she said.

‘But it’s also comforting for me to know that I’m not alone because there’s millions of families out there just like mine, or with children with all different kinds of disabilities and additional needs. 

More: This Morning

‘Sometimes you do feel very, very isolated – we struggle to get out and do things anyway as the world is not really made and adapted for our children just yet.

‘We’re quite limited to places we can go to so when I do share things about the children online and I read the comments from other families in similar situations it does make you feel less alone and less isolated.’

This Morning airs weekdays on at 10am on ITV.

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