Last Updated: 18 Jul 2011

Katie sticking up for Harvey

Whatever can be said about Katie Price and whatever you think about her past behaviour, one thing you have to give her is how much she loves her disabled eldest son Harvey. She recently opened up about the bond she has with the nine-year-old and in doing so explained the day-to-day struggles that are involved with raising a child with so many medical conditions.

Katie says, "It is not easy dealing with Harvey’s challenging behaviour. To me, however, he will always be my perfect boy. I would not swap him for an able-bodied child, or send him to live in residential care. My home will be his until the day I die and beyond — but looking after him is relentless. He can’t be left alone for a moment; we have to watch his every move."

She continues, "He has septo-optic dysplasia, which causes his vision problems, and abnormalities in the pituitary gland, which controls growth and physical development. He also has Prader-Willi syndrome, a rare genetic condition affecting the area of the brain that controls appetite. He is always thirsty, and always wants to eat. Being autistic, he can be disruptive if his routine is suddenly changed without warning. Harvey has taught me the virtue of patience. And, through him, too, I have learned the value of unconditional love."

Katie also referenced how much Scots comedian Frankie Boyle's comments about Harvey on Channel 4 hurt. She says, "To convey the full impact of what Boyle said on his Channel 4 ‘comedy’ show last December, I must, I’m afraid, repeat his offensive remarks in full.

"To begin with, he said my ex-husband, Peter Andre, and I had been fighting over custody of Harvey. ‘Eventually one of them will lose and have to keep him,’ Boyle said.

"That is the type of cruel offence we expect disabled people to accept. If you are disabled, you are a burden, and people want rid of you.

"Then Boyle made a remark so offensive it has no place in civilised society. Referring to my second marriage, to Alex Reid — we have since separated — he said: ‘I have a theory about the reason Jordan married a cage-fighter — she needed a man strong enough to stop Harvey from f***ing her.’

"I can’t overstate the outrage and revulsion I felt when I heard this attack on my vulnerable, disabled son. I am used to defending myself against insults and, at times, justified criticism.

"I don’t deny there are aspects of my own life and past that have been controversial. I’ve made mistakes in equal measure to my success, but I can answer back — and I do. Harvey can’t."

So far neither Frankie Boyle or Channel 4 have commented on Katie's latest statement. But she raises a good point when she says, "Imagine if the reason Boyle gave for saying Harvey was capable of raping me was not because of his disability but because he is black. People would understand how discriminatory that is. It is just as discriminatory when the joke is based on someone’s disability."

What do you make of all this?