Son inspires Ms GB to champion neurodivergence

Emma says her son Leo, who is non verbal, communicates through gestures

A beauty queen and mum to a non-verbal three-year-old has said her son is so intelligent for those who understand how he communicates.

Emma Powell - the first Welsh woman to win the Ms Great Britain title - said she would use her pageant platform over the next year to advocate for better inclusion of neurodivergent people.

"Becoming a mum [of a neurodivergent child] changed my outlook," the 31-year-old from Cardiff said of her son Leo, who was diagnosed with a speech and language disorder when he was two.

"My son can only say muma and dada," she said, adding that he instead has a rich vocabulary of gestures and is "emotionally intelligent".

Emma won Ms Great Britain 2024

Leo had met all his milestones and "had about 15 words" up to the age of 15 months, Emma said.

Then "overnight he had a regression with his speech" which she described as "really hard".

"I don't think anyone can prepare you for having a child with additional needs."

Emma has been competing in pageants since she was 17 and won for the first time in the Ms category, aged 31-45, at a recent event in Leicester.

Emma says she can "read" Leo's gestures

"It's been my mission throughout this journey to advocate for Leo and advocate for inclusivity," she told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast.

Emma said finding out about her son's conditions changed their lives.

"People treat him differently when they find out he's non-verbal," she said.

"They tend to talk to me instead, which is sad because he's so intelligent."

While her son is unable to speak, Emma said "there are so many other forms of communication".

"I can read him completely... we are teaching him to use pictures and symbols to communicate. He's emotionally intelligent."

Emma says Leo kissed her five times after her pageant win

Emma added that Leo "knows if I'm upset... when I came back from the pageant he kissed me five times in a row".

So what does Leo think of his mum's pageant win?

"He was most interested in the shiny crown and wanted take that back," she laughed.