Grieving parents break down on BBC Breakfast after toddler's heartbreaking death

Parents who lost their toddler to undiagnosed type 1 diabetes were in tears as they appeared on BBC Breakfast to raise awareness.

Two-year-old Lyla Story died in her sleep in May, less than 24 hours after a GP diagnosed her with tonsillitis. It was later revealed that she had diabetes, and now a coroner is calling for improved awareness of the symptoms of the condition.

During Wednesday's (September 17) episode of the BBC programme, Lyla's parents, Emma and John, were emotional as they remembered their "kind, compassionate, caring young girl", reports the Express.

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"She was just adorable," John expressed, while Emma added, "Alive. Everyone loved her."

The condition can be detected with a blood test that checks for elevated sugar levels, and Lyla's parents are now advocating for a change, calling for GPs to routinely test infants and young children if they exhibit the four common symptoms - the four Ts.

John explained: "Once they're displaying the signs of the four Ts - the toileting, the thirst, the thinning and the tiredness - basically, it's a ticking time bomb."

"I want GPs to do that pinprick test just to rule it out, especially of someone Lyla's age, who can't say, 'Oh, mummy, I've got a headache or I've got an earache'," Emma said.

Terence Lovell, from the organisation Breakthrough T1D, also appeared on the show, which was presented by Sally Nugent and Jon Kay.

He explained: "Currently in the UK, one in four children are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in diabetic ketoacidosis, which is where there are such high levels of glucose in the blood that the blood begins to turn acidic and it can attack organs and potentially lead to fatalities. And for that reason, it is so important to be aware of those symptoms."

The Lyla's Law petition has already garnered over 20,000 signatures.

"If she'd have just been finger-pricked at the GP surgery, the likelihood is she'd be alive today, showing off her constant glucose monitors," her father John said.

"There needs to be more awareness in primary care settings. There needs to be more awareness among the general public because we were guilty of that. We didn't know anything about type 1 and how dangerous it can be.

"And for some reason, I do not know why, but type 1 diabetes care is going to the back of the queue."

BBC Breakfast is broadcast on BBC One from 6am.