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Coleen Rooney nearly died in childhood after suffering from a deadly brain disorder.
Her mother Colette McLoughlin tearfully revealed the news in the WAG's new docuseries, The Real Rooneys, which followed Coleen and Wayne over a year for a fly-on-the-wall show about their family.
Speaking about Coleen's childhood, Colette shared: 'When she was three, Coleen got really sick and turned out it was encephalitis.
'Her brain was swelling, she couldn't talk, she couldn't walk, she couldn't speak, she was stumbling her words. When we got to Alder Hey hospital she ended up in a coma...'
Choking back tears, Colette went on: 'I'm gonna get upset... 24 hours [were] touch and go.
'She had to learn to walk again, all her coordination had gone. But I'm so grateful because she was alive. We wanted to give something back.'
Coleen Rooney had to learn to walk again after deadly brain condition left her in a coma aged 3 - inspiring her parents to adopt late sister Rosie
Her mother Colette McLoughlin tearfully made the admission in her daughter's new docuseries, The Real Rooneys, which followed Coleen and Wayne over a year
Colette shared: 'When she was three, Coleen got really sick and turned out it was encephalitis. 'Her brain was swelling, she couldn't talk, she couldn't walk, she couldn't speak'
The Rooneys did not go into further detail about Coleen's recovery, but encephalitis is treatable and often curable. Recovery depends heavily on the underlying cause, how fast treatment begins, and the severity of the infection.
Colette then revealed she and husband Tony provided foster and respite care for children with special needs and disabilities after being inspired to give back following Coleen's near-death experience.
The conversation arose after Coleen visited Ukrainian refugees in Poland to make a promotional video for children's charity, UNICEF, with the WAG explaining that it was a cause close to her heart because she 'has a lot of experience of being around kids with different needs.'
Coleen then discussed helping her parents provide temporary care for children with additional needs.
During this time they took in two-year-old Rosie, who faced a lifelong battle with Rett syndrome, a rare brain disorder that causes severe disabilities.
'We fell in love with her straight away,' Coleen recalled. 'She had a rare genetic disorder that needed a lot of care and attention.'
The McLoughlins ended up adopting Rosie and cared for her until she tragically passed away surrounded by her family a month shy of her 15th birthday.
Releasing a statement at the time of Rosie's death, the McLoughlin family said: ‘Rosie was just 14 years old and fought a lifelong battle with Rett syndrome. Throughout her life she brought so much love and happiness to all our family and everyone who knew and met her.
‘She was such a strong little girl and an inspiration to us all. We shall cherish for ever the memories we have shared and the love she showed us each and every day of her life. As a family we are heartbroken but we are blessed to have had her in our lives.’
Coleen then explained the experience had made her all the more passionate about using her platform to help children.
'For UNICEF to place me in that environment and that was my film to make I'm glad they did choose me because it's something I feel passionate about,' she shared. 'Hopefully people will see the film and donate.
'But on a personal level I want to make my mum and dad proud and show them I've not forgotten the values they taught me growing up.'
Coleen was with her parents watching Wayne play in the UNICEF Soccer Aid game when her film was played, with the trio growing emotional at the scenes.
'To see who she is now, from that little girl who we thought we were gonna lose,' Colette mused. 'I'm so proud of her.'
Tony added: 'If you can help as many people and many causes as possible it's brilliant. You know, we can't put the world right but we can make a difference.'
Coleen then discussed helping her parents provide temporary care for children with additional needs, until they took in two-year-old Rosie, who faced a lifelong battle with Rett syndrome
The McLoughlins ended up adopting Rosie and cared for her until she tragically passed away surrounded by her family a month shy of her 15th birthday
In her early 20s, Coleen made two pilgrimages - in 2008 and 2010 - to Lourdes, France, to pray for a healing miracle for Rosie.
Lourdes is one of the most revered sites for Roman Catholics because it is said to have been where a 14-year-old peasant girl called Bernadette Soubirous was said to have seen an apparition of the Virgin Mary in 1858.
Some six million pilgrims visit Lourdes annually, many to bathe in the grotto's normally tranquil spring waters that are said to be healing and pray for miracles at its altar.
In emotional scenes from her 2023 Wagatha Christie Disney+ series, Coleen broke down in tears speaking about her late sibling.
She explained that her family had previously just provided respite care, but it soon became clear that 'Rosie was different'.
She recalled: 'When Rosie came along she was a massive part of our lives. She was the sister that I never thought I was going to have.'
Speaking to her parents, Coleen continued: 'I used to do her hair and used to love picking clothes with me mum for her. She brought that little bit extra to the house. We fell in love with her.'
Yet the family soon realised that Rosie was struggling with her development, and after a series of hospital tests she was diagnosed with Rett syndrome.
Coleen explained: 'Rosie, she struggled. She couldn't walk and talk and would be in pain and sick but she still put a smile on her face.
'Sometimes she used to force a laugh out. I think it was just to make my mum and dad happy.
'Gradually her brain wasn't functioning so she couldn't eat anymore, couldn't talk, move.'
Rosie needed 24-hour care and after suffering from 'lots of complications' and being admitted to intensive care, Colette revealed the family decided to bring her home to spend her final days surrounded by her loved ones.
'We had a sleepover, one last sleepover, all of us together,' she explained. 'And then we had a big party to celebrate her life.'
The Real Rooneys followed Coleen and Wayne over a year for a fly-on-the-wall show about their family and is available to stream on Disney+ now
Breaking down in tears, Coleen said: 'To lose a child is the worst thing that could ever happen to anyone but when you look back now she gave us so many good years of happiness and love.'
Revealing the impact Rosie's death has had on her 10 years on, Coleen explained: 'because of the things that have happened in my life, I try to be strong for others.
'I don't want people worrying about me when there's other things going on in their life but sometimes I can crack.'
Her mother Colette went on to suggest that her daughter didn't fully process the pain she'd been through until she found herself in America when Wayne transferred to D.C United.
She explained: 'It's been 10 years now and Coleen she never spoke about it much. In America she had a lot of time so she must have done a lot of thinking then.
'But she hides a lot so it's hard to say what is going on in her mind.'
Stream The Real Rooneys on Disney+ now.
WHAT IS ENCEPHALITIS?
Encephalitis is an uncommon but serious condition in which the brain becomes inflamed (swollen).
It can be life-threatening and requires urgent treatment in hospital.
Anyone can be affected, but the very young and very old are most at risk.
Encephalitis sometimes starts off with flu-like symptoms, such as a high temperature and headache, but these don't always occur.
More serious symptoms develop over hours, days or weeks, including: confusion or disorientation, seizures (fits), changes in personality and behaviour or loss of consciousness.
Dial 999 for an ambulance immediately if you or someone else has these more serious symptoms.
It's not always clear what causes encephalitis, but it can be caused by viral infections. Several common viruses can spread to the brain and cause encephalitis in rare cases, including the herpes simplex virus (which causes cold sores and genital herpes) and the chickenpox virus.
Source: NHS
WHAT IS RETT SYNDROME? THE NEUROLOGICAL DISORDER THAT LEAVES KIDS UNABLE TO SPEAK, EAT, WALK, TALK AND BREATHE
One child in 12,000 is born with Rett Syndrome, yet few people have heard of it.
The genetic disorder affects almost exclusively females, causing them to regress neurologically and physically.
The progression of the disease can be roughly divided into four stages.
During the first stage, from about the age of six to 18 months, a baby slows in development, loses interest in play, stops making eye contact, starts walking awkwardly and makes repetitive hand movements.
The second stage, known as ‘rapid destruction’, begins between the ages of one and four.
The child finds it increasingly difficult to communicate and learn and there is often a deterioration in other brain functions.
Symptoms include an inability to control the hands, sudden distress teamed with screaming, unsteadiness, breathing problems, difficulty sleeping, slow head growth and digestive problems.
The third stage, the ‘plateau’, begins between age three and ten.
Limbs become floppy, epilepsy may develop and there may be weight loss and teeth-grinding.
However, many parents say children are less distressed and show more interest in their surroundings.
The final stage can last for decades. Usually severe bending of the spine – scoliosis – develops, as well as losing the ability to walk.
Almost all cases are caused by a mutation in the MECP2 gene which prevents nerve cells in the brain from working properly.
Currently there is no cure and only the symptoms are treated.
Around three quarters of sufferers will live into their 50s, according to Rett UK. The National Institute of Health says it's not possible to make reliable estimates about life expectancy beyond the age of 40.
According to Rettsyndrome.org, data from the Natural History Study have determined that a girl with Rett has a 100 per cent chance of reaching age 10, greater than 75 per cent chance of reaching age 30, and a greater than 50 per cent chance of reaching age 50.
But due to the rarity of Rett, very little has been published about life expectancy.
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