Love Island star Camilla Thurlow has announced two-year-old daughter Nora has been diagnosed with autism in a heartfelt post. The 35-year-old, who appeared on the third series of the ITV2 dating programme back in 2017, shares three children with her husband Jamie Jewitt, daughters Nell, four, Nora, two, and a baby boy Brodie, nine months. She is always open about the challengers of parenthood and has taken to Instagram with an update. Autism is caused by differences in the brain and can lead to issues with social communication and interaction, as well as restricted or repetitive behaviours or interests. Symptoms of ASD can start showing in children as early as 12 to 18 months, sometimes even earlier. Addressing the diagnosis, she said: “Nora, our little darling. I often wonder what life must be like for you, having to get up and do things that you find hard every day. And not just that, but things that everyone else around you seems to find so easy. For every milestone we are yet to reach, or the ones that may not be for us at all, you just keep going, with a smile on your face and so, so much love in your heart.
The family say they will embrace what’s ahead
(Image: Instagram)
‘To determinedly keep doing things that are difficult with grace and good humour is something that many of the rest of us have spent a lifetime trying to master. Yet, that strength is already within you, and you go and get it every single day. So of course we will be excited for you in the milestone moments, but we are proud of you always. “Last month you received your autism diagnosis and we know there are some very real challenges ahead for you, and that we will need to grow as parents to make sure we give you what we hope to give all our children; the tools to navigate spaces that are difficult for you, the empowerment to set boundaries that serve you and above all a happy life with every opportunity to be yourself. “We see you, always trying to find the sunshine no matter what life brings, and we will be with you every step of the way to make sure it always finds a way through. We are so grateful to be your parents and for the love you and your siblings share, and for everyone who has supported and continues to support Nora and our family.” Last April, the mum revealed her daughter, who was two at the time, is yet to walk or talk in a honest post, which has been praised by fans. In a long statement, which was posted on Instagram, Camilla said other mums had reached out to her when she revealed that Nora had only started to crawl at 20 months. She explained: “When I shared recently about Nora starting to crawl at 20 months (and not yet walking) I got a lot of messages from mums who have been feeling worried, or isolated, as the majority of what they see on here are other babies reaching certain milestones. It really got me thinking because I shared a lot of ‘firsts’ with Nell without even really realising I was doing it. And please don’t get me wrong, I love LOVE to see those posts, watching parents see their babies do things for the first time. “But having a second child on a very different timeframe has reminded me how much easier it is (without even realising you’re doing it) to fill a square, or story, with something that someone is doing rather than isn’t doing.” Revealing that Nora is yet to talk, Camilla added: “She doesn’t speak – about 8 months ago she said dada for the first time and then overnight she stopped and hasn’t said it since. She has never said mama.” Thanking her health visitors for their support, the mum-of-two concluded: “We are very proud of how she is steadfastly moving through the world at her own pace. The last thing I want is for her to grow up thinking that life is a race, or that she needs to be the fastest, smartest, funniest or loudest person in the room to be worthy of love.” Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.
