Emily and Shane Simpson have been married for 17 years. They openly discussed their marital troubles on The Real Housewives of Orange County. Just when they got their marriage back on track, their son was diagnosed with several medical issues. The couple has drastically different approaches to dealing with their son and nearly came to blows over his rehabilitating diagnosis. Keep reading for all the details.
RHOC Star 11-Year-Old Son’s Shocking Diagnosis
Emily Simpson has two other children: Annabelle, 13, and Keller, also 11. Shane Simpson has two daughters from his previous marriage. The RHOC star has been sharing more about her son’s medical issues on Season 20.
Shane and Emily Simpson’s son struggles with ADHD, the eating disorder ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder), OCD, and PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders.)
She opened up more about how “exhausting” and difficult her son’s medical problems are. “Luke’s very attached to me, and I think he feels like I’m the only person in his corner. Everything with him is big, over the top, and he’s very overstimulated all the time,” she said on the After Show on October 1, 2026.
Emily Simpson Comes To Blows With Husband Over Son’s Debilitating Struggles
Emily Simpson revealed that her son even sleeps with her. She finds it difficult to separate herself from the tween. “You have to be very soft with him. You can’t be harsh.”
Not surprisingly, her son’s issues have taken a toll on her marriage. “Shane and I have completely different parenting styles,” Emily Simpson admitted. “I understand that his brain doesn’t work like the other kids. You cannot get him to, like, brush his teeth, put pajamas on, and go to bed. He shuts down. He covers his ears. He’s not ready. It takes a lot of nurturing.”
However, her husband doesn’t have the same level of understanding. In fact, sometimes he questions whether Luke is “faking” his medical issues. Emily Simpson revealed that she nearly had to bring her son with her to film the After Show.
“I thought today I would have to bring him with the little snacks that he eats and an iPad, and he’s gonna have to sit over there. It took me probably an hour and a half of just talking to him, laying with him, telling him that I had to go to work today, that everything was going to be okay,” she explained.
Emily Simpson shared an unexpected update on her son. “I think Luke might look like he’s functioning better, but that’s because I’m parenting him better. I would say he’s probably the same,” she said.
The RHOC couple has weathered through many storms, but can they make it through this one? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger