Baby Frankie has had a difficult start to his life, having been born prematurely earlier this year

Coronation Street fans think they have worked out that a paternity twist is ahead with Lauren Bolton’s son. Baby Frankie has had a difficult start to his life, having been born prematurely earlier this year.

As fans of the ITV soap know, earlier this year, Lauren was seen having to escape the clutches of groomer Joel Deering before returning pregnant with his baby. Their son was then born prematurely after Joel drugged her food in an attempt to make her miscarry her first child.

Frankie then spent months in hospital before he was able to leave alongside Lauren. However, he’s since found himself living with her in prison after it was revealed that she was the one to deliver the fatal blow that killed Joel, after he was involved in a train track confrontation with her boyfriend, Max.

Now, during Monday’s (December 16) episode of Corrie, Lauren was given worrying news about her son’s health. Doctors revealed that little Frankie could have severe aplastic anaemia, which is is a rare but serious blood disorder which is a result of the bone marrow not producing enough blood cells. But Lauren was also warned that her baby boy might have leukaemia.

Lauren was devastated to be told she was not able to donate her blood, due to being diagnosed with Hepatitis C when she was a teenager after a dodgy piercing. However, she remains unaware that Dee-Dee Bailey is pregnant with Joel’s child, a half-sibling for Frankie who could end up holding the key to helping them.

But amidst her son’s ill health, Lauren was seen trying to warn off Joel’s parents Gus and Anthea before they revealed they had applied for custody of Frankie as they believe he’ll be better with them rather than in prison when he’s sick.

It’s left some Corrie fans wondering whether they’ll end up coming to their grandson’s rescue in terms of a donor, while others still think Dee-Dee will change her mind about keeping her unborn child in order to help Lauren and Frankie.

But some also now think that there’s a DNA twist on the horizon and that Frankie may not have been Joel’s son afterall. @jaelsglory said: “Please have Lauren admit this kid ain’t Joel’s.” @_joy_hamilton commented: “I was thinking maybe Joel’s not the dad and this is were they could find out.”

@odette5466 wrote: “#Corrie We all know after a DNA that Joel is not even going to be the father of Frankie….” @StVitusDance posted: “Lets guess Frankie has a blood disorder turns out he’s not Joels child #Corrie.” @vlcurrie added: “Frankie’s ill and will need bone marrow and once they start looking for a donor, they’ll realise the real kicker – that the kid ain’t Joel’s – his Dad is Carla’s nephew…#corrie.”