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Kate Gosselin reveals son Collin has special needs: 'I've felt very alone in this'

"This has been a struggle we've had for a very long time, and it's one I've dealt with on my own," the reality star said.

By Annie Martin
Kate Gosselin at "The Celebrity Apprentice" Season 14 red carpet on March 20, 2014. The reality star is mom to eight children, including Collin Gosselin. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
1 of 2 | Kate Gosselin at "The Celebrity Apprentice" Season 14 red carpet on March 20, 2014. The reality star is mom to eight children, including Collin Gosselin. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

WERNERSVILLE, Pa., Aug. 24 (UPI) -- Kate Gosselin is setting the record straight on son Collin Gosselin's rumored behavioral issues.

The 41-year-old Kate Plus 8 star revealed in the Sept. 5 issue of People that the 12-year-old has "special needs" and is enrolled in a program away from home.

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"This has been a struggle we've had for a very long time, and it's one I've dealt with on my own. I've felt very alone in this," she admitted. "By the same token, it's not something that has only impacted me or him -- our entire family has been impacted."

Gosselin didn't reveal Collin's specific diagnosis, but did say he "needs to learn certain strategies to help him deal with things." She hopes the program will teach her son "the skills he needs to be the best him he can be."

"We miss him so much, so it's been hard because there is a huge hole in our family without him here," the star said. "But it comforts us to know he's where he needs to be right now, and I can feel good about that."

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Gosselin had denied in 2010 that Collin was expelled from school due to violent behavior. She later said on the June 30 episode of Kate Plus 8 that her son has "some educational and social challenges."

"At times his inability to problem solve in a social setting leaves him frustrated and overwhelmed with the situation," the star explained. "We learned over time that often the best thing for him is to step away and process it and adapt."

"This is a work in progress for him that we've sought many specialists' help on," she said. "There's changes coming for him. I think it will result in a change of school for him for this upcoming year and beyond that, we'll see."

Collin is one of the sextuplets that Gosselin shares with ex-husband Jon Gosselin. She and the 39-year-old DJ, who split in 2009 after 10 years of marriage, also share 15-year-old twin daughters, Cara and Mady.

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