Christine McGuinness, 31, had previously admitted she’d seen similar signs of autism in her youngest child. And last week, the wife of Top Gear presenter Paddy McGuinness took to Instagram to post a poem about all three of her children having the condition.
She said: “Recently our youngest daughter Felicity was also diagnosed with autism, three years after our twins Leo and Penelope were diagnosed.
“Going through this journey again does still bring some heartache knowing all three children will face challenges and difficulties that others won’t.
“We are here to love and support our three extra special children and I thank god every day these babies are mine. Proudest mummy #Autism #AutismAwareness #3superstars #KnowledgeIsPower.”
The news came after Christine previously revealed she and Paddy believed their youngest had autism from a young age.
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She told OK! magazine: “She blows us away with how smart she is, but we fully believe she’s on the spectrum.”
Taking to ITV’s Loose Women, Christine revealed the tell-tale sign Felicity was autistic, saying she noticed she was often on her tiptoes.
Tiptoeing, or toe walking, is common in young children, age three and younger, but according to Autism Research Institute, toe walking, especially in children five years and older, is often associated with neurological immaturity.
The site explains: “A dysfunctional vestibular system, a common problem in autism, may be responsible for toe walking.
Signs in older children include:
- Not seeming to understand what others are thinking or feeling
- Finding it hard to say how they feel
- Liking a strict daily routine and getting very upset if it changes
- Having a very keen interest in certain subjects or activities
- Getting very upset if you ask them to do something
- Finding it hard to make friends or preferring to be on their own
- Taking things very literally – for example, they may not understand phrases like “break a leg”
If you think your child may be autistic you should speak to:
- A GP
- A health victory for children under 5
- Any other health professional your child sees, such as another doctor or therapist
- Special educational needs (SENCO) staff at your child’s school
