A MOTHER living in fear that her toddler could die of a diabetic attack is frustrated at the red tape denying them funding for life-saving equipment.

In a two-week period, Amelia-Rose Dyos, of Clacton, can sometimes have up to 20 hypos when her blood sugar levels drop too low.

The two-year-old was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in February 2016 at 18 months old.

She has since been removed from nursery and pre-school because staff were unable to cope with her fluctuating blood sugar levels and would give her the wrong foods.

Mum Becky Taylor had a T-shirt made for Amelia proclaiming “I am diabetic”.

She is frightened to take her and younger sister Freya-Lilly, outside for regular family outings. The 18-month-old also has complex health needs.

It means simple but lively activities, such as swimming or going to the park, is off limits for the stay-at-home mum and her daughters.

Becky, 23, said: “I’ve only just begun to brave our own back garden because Amelia also has Pica so she’ll try to eat inedible things. Before Freya was walking, I just couldn’t watch both of them.

“I hate the fact I’m so close to Martello Beach, but am too terrified to take them.

“There’s no pattern to when Amelia has a hypo or hyper and because of her age, I’m unable to explain to her what diabetes is and why I need her to eat dinner.

“It means I’m constantly pricking her fingers and not letting her be a child, or I could step back and risk my child’s life. My constant fear is she’ll have a hypo in her sleep and never wake up.”

Clacton and Frinton Gazette:

Safety first - Amelia-Rose Dyos wearing her t-shirt

An NHS-funded insulin pump attached to Amelia’s body delivers insulin via a catheter.

To monitor Amelia’s levels, Becky is sometimes pricking her daughter’s finger 15 times a day.

A sophisticated continuous glucose monitoring system with sensors which reads a person’s blood sugar levels, could cut this down to three times.

The kit also sends alerts to a designated mobile phone number.

But at £700 for a starter kit plus more than £250 a month to maintain it, Becky’s best chance of affording the equipment is through crowd funding.

“With the generosity of others we have enough to proceed with the start-up costs, but they don’t stop there,” Becky said.

“The trouble is the NHS won’t fund us until she has seizures, which is when her glucose level drops too low. I won’t let that happen.

“The sensors link with the insulin pump and can prevent a hypo up to 30 minutes before one is going to happen.

“If Amelia’s blood sugar is dropping too quickly, it will stop all delivery of insulin.”

A spokesman for the NHS North East Essex Clinical Commissioning Group explained a patient would always receive appropriate medication or medical devices, dependent on clinical need.

However, they are unable to comment on individual cases due to confidentiality.

He added: “Where there is an agreed demonstrable clinical need to enhance the patient’s care, the CCG will fund it.”

It is frustrating for Becky, who is unable to work because of her children’s health and whose partner Scott Dyos, 28, is currently working six days a week for minimum wage.

She said: “Why have something like this and not make it available or affordable?

“Two weeks ago Amelia’s blood sugar dropped to 1.8mmol when it should be between four and seven. The lower the number, the higher the risks involved to her health.

“She’d just been jumping on the bed, laughing and giggling, then fell asleep.

“It took me 45 minutes to bring her blood sugar back up and that’s just my worst nightmare.

To support Becky’s fundraising click here.