22 Kids and Counting star admits to 'worst mum guilt' as young son hospitalised: 'When will he get a break?'

Lydia Davies

By Lydia Davies


Published: 11/11/2025

- 10:20

The fourth-eldest Radford daughter has posted a heartbreaking photo of her poorly son

Katie Louise Radford has revealed that she is suffering from “mum guilt”.

The 22 Kids and Counting star shared an update yesterday, after begging for help in July when her baby boy became ill with a mystery condition that doctors were struggling to diagnose.


Katie, 22, is the eighth child and fourth daughter of Noel and Sue Radford, who are well known for having Britain’s biggest family, with 22 children and their own Channel 5 programme following their families' lives.

The couple share 14 grandchildren, and over the past week, three of them have been admitted to the hospital for various health concerns.

Katie RadfordKatie Radford welcomed her first child Ronnie last October |

Katie Radford/Instagram

Yesterday, Katie shared a photo of her one-year-old son, Ronnie, which showed him looking poorly with visible red spots under his lip.

The worried mother wrote: “Got the worst mum guilt at the moment. My poor boy is still so poorly and now with something else.

“When does this poor boy get a break? Definitely lots of presents and treats when he’s all better.”

Millie Radford, 24, who is Katie's younger sister, also revealed this week that her four-year-old son Chester was in hospital awaiting an operation to assist his hearing and speech.

The RadfordsThe Radfords pictured at Disney World |

The Radford Family/Instagram

She posted a picture of him before the procedure, wearing a surgical gown covered in stars.

Fans flocked to Millie's comments to share their support for the child. "Sending all my love and hugs to you all," one wrote, while another penned: "This is a real brave mummy and brave lil boy moment."

Katie also showed her support for her sister, commenting: "Ohhh bless him hope everything goes smoothly." (sic)

Meanwhile, Chloe Radford, 30, shared that her youngest child, Bodhi, had developed a worrying rash.

Ronnie Radford

Katie Radford posted this photo of Ronnie to her Instagram story last night

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Katie Radford/Instagram

The social media influencer posted a photo of her baby boy on Instagram with the caption: “I had a feeling Bodhi would have a reaction to egg and he did. In minutes, he was coming up with red blotches.”

She later confirmed that Bodhi has now been referred for a full allergy test, admitting he was “keeping them on their toes”.

22 Kids and Counting is currently airing its latest episodes on Channel 5, with recent special episodes broadcast in July 2025 and ongoing filming for new content.

Recent storylines have focused on family updates and the challenges faced by individual members.

It seems Ronnie’s health struggles aren’t the only concern for Katie right now, as in the latest episode, she explained how her household bills are mounting up.

“You see all these people with all this stuff, and you’re like, oh well, I want that as well," she explained.

"So then you get it even if you can’t afford it, you’ll get it, just to sort of fit in. And in the end, I feel like I can’t match up, so I’m failing,” she said.

Maternity pay has reduced Katie's income, but her regular bills still need paying.

Noel and Sue RadfordNoel and Sue Radford lead the Channel 5 series alongside their children and grandchildren |

The Radford Family/Instagram

“I have £700 for rent, council tax, gas, electricity and water bill. That can all come up to £600 a month. So it’s quite tough," the star explained.

She continued: “I’m getting a lot of bills. I’ll pay them as soon as I can, but just not right now."

Pointing to a pile of unopened letters on the table, Katie expressed that she was "afraid to open them".