Lucy, who is a mother of a child with Type 1 diabetes, explains how her GP's failure to detect her daughter's diagnosis resulted in life-threatening consequences.
I am a mother of a child who was diagnosed with Type1 diabetes at one year old. My daughter is now three years old and fit and well.
When my daughter was born I found her very different to her sibling as she was always unwell and restless. She was under weight for her size and very clingy. She always was ill with an infection and would take a long time to recover.
Things got worse when she was one year old and was constantly thirsty and urinating frequently as well as being extremely clingy and constantly upset. I suspected diabetes and and took her to the doctors several times where I was told it was not diabetes by her GP.
The GP did NO tests and was adamant that there was nothing medically wrong. I asked the heath visitor for advise and support and she suggested i take her to the GP.
My daughter's eyes were rolling in the back of her head.
Lucy
As the disease progressed other symptoms developed, some I was not even aware of. Like vaginal thrush for example, I did not know this was a symptom. Again another trip to the doctor to confirm this and the doctor failed to notice the symptoms.
My daughter became so ill that i demanded that the GP gave her a blood test to test for diabetes. The GP did give my daughter an appointment for a blood test but said that it was not diabetes. The GP also found out that my daughter was full of infection in both ears, chest and throat. My daughter was given antibiotics and the doctor said whilst my daughter was ill with the infections to not have her blood tested as it might make her uncomfortable.
A few days later and my daughter was so ill I had her go to A&E where she was rasping for breath, could not open her eyes or walk. The doctor at the hospital said that she was rasping because of the chest infection and the antibiotics where not working. Again my daughter came home with more antibiotics and more excuses.
That night me and my mother sat up and took in in turns to watch over her as she was so ill. Her eyes where rolling in the back of her head she was rasping for breath it was heart breaking. The next morning my mum took my daughter to the GP and argued with the receptionist that my daughter needed to see a doctor....and now!
My mum carried my daughter to the doctors room where she pricked her finger and immediately said 'oh my God it's diabetes!'. This made my mum physically sick! My daughter was taken to hospital in an ambulance with blue lights and sirens all the way. There she was diagnosed with ketoacidosis and transferred to another hospital where she was in intensive care for a few days.
Thankfully my story has had a happy ending but not all do. This proves even doctors get it wrong. People need to be made aware of the symptoms and how to get tested. It's so simple and it saves lives to have your finger pricked and a result in seconds. Thanks for reading my story.
