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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Joel Leaver

Abbey Clancy says she now has 'phobia' of hospitals after daughter's 'health issue'

Abbey Clancy has recalled being unable to eat and developing a fear of hospitals when her eldest child spent three weeks at Great Ormond Street Hospital as a baby.

The mother-of-four, 37, opened up about the experience on the latest episode of the Therapy Crouch podcast, which she co-hosts with her husband Peter Crouch, 42.

It came during a discussion about 'neurotic' parents, with Peter saying after introducing the topic that his wife is "very cautious of the kids doing anything that would hurt them".

Abbey commented on the podcast: "It is a hindrance having this kind of health anxiety issue. I think it comes from a fear of something happening to someone you love".

Abbey Clancy has spoken about experiencing 'health anxiety,' particularly over her children (Getty Images for Victoria's Secr)
She opened up about it with her husband Peter Crouch on their podcast (Dave Benett/Getty Images for Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar)

Abbey said she suspects her concern stems from their eldest daughter Sophia, now 12, having been at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London when she was a baby.

She said: "I think obviously the main reason is y'know when Sophia was a baby and she had a health issue which was at the time literally the most scariest time of my entire life.

"She had this operation and it was probably the most traumatic part of my life. We were in [the hospital] for three weeks after that. I went down to like 7 stone didn't I?"

Abbey suggested that people didn't know about the situation at the time, with her saying: "You don't know what people are going through at home. [So] always be kind".

Peter said that his wife lived at the hospital full-time and added about her: "That instinct from you as a mother was unbelievable how you behaved in that situation."

He said that although he now teases Abbey over her anxieties, he praises her approach to the difficult situation when their eldest child was unwell around a decade ago.

Abbey said she suspects it stems from their daughter Sophia having had a 'health issue' as a baby (Ken McKay/ITV/REX)

And he recalled "dragging" his wife out of the hospital to get some lunch once because she "wouldn't leave". Abbey however recalled that she "couldn't eat" at the time.

Abbey - who at one point said she was having a panic attack recalling the experience - said: "You have to trust someone with your baby's life. It's the most unnatural thing".

"I can't even go to a hospital now can I after that? In the past, when one of the kids fell and cut their finger or something and might need a stitch, I cannot go. I have got this innate fear and phobia," she further commented.

She assured that Sophia is "healthy" years on from the experience though, with her saying: "Just to be clear she's absolutely fine now. There's absolutely nothing wrong".

Abbey - who praised the staff at the hospital - said they have "overcome" the experience and acknowledged that some children aren't as fortunate as hers'.

Abbey said she still worries about their family, which includes younger kids Liberty, Johnny and Jack (Instagram/abbeyclancy)

Abbey said she visited a hypnotherapist over her anxieties once, with her saying: "[It] was incredible. He'd just give you certain thought strategies and ways to cope".

Peter said: "Even now, if the kids have a cough it's something far worse. If we have a cold, it's pneumonia. That's how you think. [...] You consistently do that on a daily basis".

Abbey said: "I definitely think [the experience with Sophia] is where it all stems from for me. I try and be more rational with things but as you say [the kids] have a cough and I'm like 'it's something serious.' I think it stems from that trauma and it is something that I am working on".

Discussing the impact that is has on their lives, the couple teased that Abbey gets anxious about their children going on school trips because of potential risks to them.

Alongside their eldest child Sophia, the couple - who have been married since 2011 - are also parents to younger children Liberty, seven, Johnny, five, and Jack, three.

Abbey said: "[My trauma] filters through to the ridiculous. I don't want them to go on a school trip because I don't want them to go on the bus because if something happened..."

And the model - who said she volunteers on every school trip as a result - even recalled having been scared to have another baby after their experience with Sophia's health.

She said: "I was so scared of having another baby because I just didn't want anything to be wrong [...] I can't cope with things. I just want the kids to be happy and healthy."

Peter however told her: "You say you can't cope. [...] You've proved that you can. Like something kicks in. [...] I watch you go [from] neurotic to a super-parent".

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