A mother has told how her four-year-old son nearly died after doctors allegedly dismissed his rapid weight loss as the behaviour of a picky eater. Chloe Wyman, from Colchester, Essex, said she and her partner Aran Pierce knew something was seriously wrong with Edison, but medics initially put his symptoms down to constipation and teething.
The couple's concerns grew when Edison, who had been losing weight quickly, fell asleep unexpectedly one morning. They pushed for further tests, and doctors discovered he was in diabetic ketoacidosis – a life-threatening complication of type 1 diabetes. Medical staff told them he was only hours away from death.
"Being told he was only hours away from death is something that will stay with us forever," said Ms Wyman, a wellness massage therapist. "It was absolutely terrifying." Edison spent two days in hospital receiving fluids and insulin before his condition stabilised. The family have since learned to recognise the four T's – toilet, thirsty, tired and thinner – which are early signs of type 1 diabetes.
Ms Wyman is now backing a campaign for Lyla's Law, which was delivered to Downing Street with 125,000 signatures earlier this year. The campaign follows the death of two-year-old Lyla Story from Hull, who died less than 24 hours after being diagnosed with acute tonsillitis, which turned out to be type 1 diabetes.
Ms Wyman said greater accountability is needed within healthcare settings so signs are recognised and acted upon earlier. Edison now carries out his own finger-prick tests daily and is learning to manage his condition. "If sharing our story helps even one family recognise the signs sooner," she said, "then it's been worth it."
