She recently admitted that she has made the ‘heartbreaking’ decision to put her son Harvey into full-time care.
And Katie Price has revealed that she has hired an expert nutritionist in a bid to help her eldest child, who weighs almost 29-stone, lose weight.
Harvey, 18, is on the autistic spectrum and was born with disabilities including partial blindness, ADHD and Prader-Willi syndrome, which causes an excessive appetite.
Getting help: Katie Price has revealed that she is hiring an expert nutritionist in a bid to help her eldest child, who weighs almost 29-stone, lose weight
Harvey, whose father is retired footballer Dwight Yorke, 49, was born with septo-optic dysplasia – a condition that means the development of his optic nerve was unpredictable.
And his doting mother, 42, has enlisted the help of nutritionist Jennifer Harper-Deacon to help her son battle his weight, according to The Sun.
The expert, who is also trained as a naturopath, herbalist and acupuncturist, has regularly appeared on TV to give health advice.
Katie also opened up about the ‘heartbreaking’ decision to move her son into full-time care, saying she doesn’t want Harvey to think she is ‘getting rid of him’.
Weight battle: Harvey, 18, who is Katie’s eldest son, was born with multiple disabilities including blindness, ADHD and Prader-Willi syndrome, which causes an excessive appetite
She told The Sun: ‘It’s so upsetting to think I won’t see him every day but this is the best thing for Harvey and we have to think positively because I don’t want him to think I’m just getting rid of him.
‘This is his chance to live an independent life, learn skills and socialise with people other than me.’
The mother-of-five revealed she hopes Harvey can move into specialist further education college National Star’s living accommodation in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.
But she admitted that the three-hour journey between herself and Harvey will be hard to adjust to, as she normally ‘runs to him’ when he needs help.
She explained: ‘When he’s three hours away it will break my heart because I won’t be able to get there as I’ve got to juggle him with my other kids.’
Decisions: Katie also opened up about her recent ‘heartbreaking’ decision to move her son into full-time care, saying she doesn’t want Harvey to think she is ‘getting rid of him’
Harvey will live in a facility until he’s 25 and Katie believes the move is vital for his well-being because she can no longer restrain the 6ft2in and 29-stone teen if he has a mood swing – and fears he could be sectioned if she doesn’t act now.
In a new trailer for her upcoming BBC documentary, the mother and son were seen touring potential residential colleges for him to attend.
In the short video, the duo are seen considering all the options with Harvey telling his mum he’s ‘excited’ to have a look at new colleges.
Speaking in the clip, the former glamour model said: ‘Things change when people turn 18, for anyone. You become an adult.
‘Whereas for Harvey, he’s got complex needs. I’ve got to let Harvey have the best shot at life.’
Time for a tour: In a new trailer for her upcoming BBC documentary, the mother and son were seen touring potential residential colleges for him to attend
The mother and son are then seen in a car as they head to one of the tours, with Katie asking: ‘Are you excited to look at a college?’
Harvey enthusiastically replies, ‘oh, yeah mum’, before the trailer shows him being shown around the residential colleges by staff as he smiles.
Another scene reveals Katie having a serious conversation with another woman about the potential placements and discussing Harvey’s wellbeing.
After touring the colleges, Katie and Harvey are seen waiting at a train station with the doting mother telling her son: ‘As long as you’re happy, I’m happy.’
Katie has spent six months visiting colleges for children with autism and learning disabilities in order to find the best place for Harvey.
College: The mother-of-five revealed she hopes Harvey can move into specialist further education college National Star’s living accommodation in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
The teenager is supposed to start at his residential college in September, but Katie isn’t sure if he will amid the ongoing global health crisis.
Katie is also mum to Junior, 15, and Princess, 13, with her ex-husband Peter Andre, 47, and son Jett, seven, and daughter Bunny, six, with former spouse Kieran Hayler, 33.
Harvey’s autism means he can have violent outbursts, such as head butting walls and smashing iPads, if he hears loud noises or slamming doors.
And Katie said she made the decision to place Harvey in full-time care for fear of him being sectioned under the Mental Health Act if he lashed out in public and was deemed a risk to society.
She explained Harvey is excited about the prospect of going into full-time care, after previously going to a residential college five days a week.
Family: Katie is also mum to Junior, 15, and Princess, 13, with her ex-husband Peter Andre, 47, and son Jett, seven, and daughter Bunny, six, with former spouse Kieran Hayler, 33
But she was quick to add that her four other children will miss Harvey when he is not around at weekends.
Katie made the decision to put Harvey in part-time care in April 2019.
The mother candidly admitted that she ‘had no option’ but to send Harvey, who was 16 at the time, to the care centre, as she admitted it’s ‘selfish’ to keep him at home.
The former glamour model admitted: ‘I don’t want him to go, but the doctors and my mum say it is the best thing for him.’
The star then explained to the camera: ‘What they can offer Harvey that I can’t, is daily exercise, a food plan, he can’t go into the cupboards and eat.
Disability: Harvey, whose father is footballer Dwight Yorke, was born with septo-optic dysplasia – a condition that means the development of his optic nerve was unpredictable
‘He’ll socialise with his friends, it’s more freedom for him.’
But Harvey had to move back home in March last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Katie said the main focus is now to bring Harvey’s weight down, saying she needs ‘to get him the help he deserves because he will die if he doesn’t exercise’.
The star added Harvey’s breathing has got worse in recent months, but says he will be able to go swimming and work out with trained specialists at the college.
In June, Harvey was rushed to intensive care after having trouble breathing. He experienced extreme chest-pains and a soaring temperature and was thought to be at risk of organ failure.
Care: Katie put Harvey in part-time care in April 2019, admitting she ‘had no option’ but to send Harvey, who was 16 at the time, to the care centre (pictured in April 2018)
Katie recalled seeing eight doctors crowding around him in the resuscitation room and said she was ‘terrified’ by the horrific ordeal. He was discharged after 10 days.
In November, she revealed that she has taken drastic measures, including padlocking the fridge, to help Harvey lose weight and stop him raiding it when she isn’t looking.
Describing his condition as a ‘cruel and horrible illness’, she explained that her son is constantly hungry and will lose his temper if he doesn’t get food.
Speaking to The Sun, she continued: ‘He’ll smash things up if you say no. I’ve had to re-plaster my walls because he’ll bash holes in them with his head.
Health: In November, she revealed that she has taken drastic measures, including padlocking the fridge, to help Harvey lose weight and stop him raiding it when she isn’t looking
‘He knows what nice things taste of. I’ll give him sweet potato chips instead of real fries but he knows the difference.’
She continued: ‘It’s not what he eats in the day, it’s what he eats when I don’t see him. I’ve tried hiding food but he’ll find it.’
She emotionally told how Harvey desperately needs to lose the weight or he’ll end up dying, before adding ‘I don’t want to lose him’.
Speaking of her fears for Harvey’s life if he contracts Covid-19, she told The Sun: ‘If he gets Covid it would probably finish him off. That is not a joke.’