Family call for compulsory training to spot the signs of type 1 diabetes

A petition is launched calling for change over concern that healthcare professionals are not equipped to spot key symptoms.

The risk of missing a crucial type 1 diagnosis when a child becomes poorly is being highlighted with a call for better training among healthcare professionals.
A petition has been organised by the family of a young child with type 1 diabetes to minimise the risk of a young person not receiving the relevant care if they show symptoms of the condition.
Parent Natalie Gurney said: “Our children’s safety should never be left to chance.
“Children with type 1 diabetes deserve to be safe, supported and understood wherever they are cared for.
“I’m calling for mandatory type 1 diabetes training for all educators and carers, so the adults responsible for our children have the knowledge and confidence to support them safely.
“Please take a moment to sign my petition. Every signature helps us push for change.
“Let’s make type 1 diabetes awareness and safety a priority.”
The petition needs 10,000 signatures before 11th November for the government to respond to it.
On the petition page, Natalie said: “Recently, my world was turned upside down when a family member was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. One thing that struck me deeply was the realisation that so many childcare professionals and educators lack adequate training to recognise the symptoms of type 1 diabetes.
“Type 1 diabetes is a life-threatening condition that affects approximately one in 500 children in the UK alone. We believe immediate recognition of its symptoms – such as excessive thirst, tiredness, frequent urination, and unexplained weight loss – is crucial for early intervention to prevent DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis) which is fatal if left untreated. Unfortunately, many children continue to attend educational settings where professionals are not equipped to identify these signs.”

Natalie, from Rayne near Braintree, Essex, is campaigning for greater awareness about spotting the signs of type 1 diabetes after her son Callum was rushed to hospital aged 10.
Callum was in a critical condition after developing extreme thirst, tiredness and frequent urination.
Natalie said: “Before Callum’s diagnosis I was a childminder with full and up-to-date at the time Paediatric First Aid training but I was still totally oblivious to what Callum’s symptoms meant. Upon our first visit to the GP, we disclosed all of Callum’s symptoms which were excessive thirst, going for a wee every 30 minutes, bed wetting and fatigue.  
“The GP tested his urine which showed nothing worrying but Callum hadn’t eaten for over 12 hours at the time. The GP’s response was “he’s not diabetic” and sent us home to monitor him and return if things escalated or we became more concerned. Three days later we returned and saw a different GP who did a finger prick test and his blood glucose levels were 34 and his ketones were 8. We were then rushed to hospital where he was admitted into critical care and given a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes.
“Going back to my job as a childminder, I looked after many young children for more than 30 hours a week yet had they have shown any of those symptoms I would never have known that the child’s health was potentially at risk and that they needed to seek emergency medical help.
“Since launching my campaign I have been inundated with messages from people whose children are now living with type 1 diabetes and they have been misdiagnosed by their GP or the early warning symptoms were not spotted.” 

DRWF is proud to be the shirt sponsor for Callum’s youth football team Great Bradfords FC.

Read more about type 1 diabetes

For more information about the 4Ts, read the DRWF Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes information leaflet here