Model Chrissy Teigen shares her son Miles’ struggle with diabetes and the family’s emotional journey.

 Chrissy Teigen has spoken candidly about her six-year-old son Miles’ diagnosis with type 1 diabetes, describing the past few months as “chaotic” and “painful” for their family.

The model, cookbook author and television personality, who shares four children with husband John Legend—Luna, 9, Miles, 6, Esti, 2, and Wren, 22 months—gave an emotional interview to PEOPLE, detailing how the diagnosis has deeply affected their home life.

“It really took Miles down harder than a lot of the other kids,” Teigen shared. “His pain was incredible, and he’s a pretty tough little boy.”

Describing the initial weeks after the diagnosis as a whirlwind, she revealed how quickly the family had to adapt to an entirely new world of medical terms, devices, and treatments.

“We were thrown into this world of chaos and having to learn so much all at once,” she said. “Everything was put on pause. We were finding ourselves going in and out of hospitals, sitting down with our notebooks taking copious notes and taking videos of everything someone was doing with the insulin jar.”

Teigen, who has long shared both joyful and difficult moments of motherhood publicly, grew visibly emotional as she recalled how the diagnosis affected Miles psychologically.

Quoting her son, she said: “Why me? How come not Luna?”—a question that no parent wants to hear. “He was really worried that it would affect if he could play sports. Can I have candy still? Can I have ice cream? All those things that only a kid would worry about.”

As many parents facing chronic illness in their children do, Teigen and Legend tried everything to keep Miles comfortable and emotionally supported.

“You try everything: tokens, bribery, iPad time,” she said. “You do everything you can to see what makes him comfortable.”

Despite their best efforts, the first three months proved particularly taxing for the family. “The first three months were really, really tough for us as a family because your child is experiencing pain,” Teigen admitted.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition in which the body stops producing insulin. It often appears in childhood and requires constant blood sugar monitoring and insulin management. For young children, the sudden lifestyle shift can be overwhelming, both physically and emotionally.

For Teigen and Legend, the diagnosis meant stepping into a new reality—one filled with medical appointments, late-night blood sugar checks, and emotional conversations with a confused young child.

Teigen’s vulnerability in sharing this journey adds to a growing public awareness about type 1 diabetes and the impact it has not only on children but also their families. Her honesty echoes the feelings of many parents who feel helpless watching their child navigate a lifelong condition.

In her interview, Teigen didn’t dwell solely on the struggle. She also noted the progress Miles has made, thanks to the support and the steep learning curve the family has embraced.

While the diagnosis was a painful chapter, the model’s story underscores resilience, unity, and the fierce protectiveness that defines parenthood. It’s a reminder that even the most glamorous public figures face deeply personal challenges—ones that require just as much strength, patience, and love as anyone else’s.