Diabetes killed Daniella, 13

11:03am Thursday 7th December 2006

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A TEENAGE diabetic died from massive brain damage after her blood sugar dropped to dangerously low levels.

Daniella Scott, aged 13, was found collapsed in the bedroom of her home in Red Thorpe Close, Bolton, by her mother Joanne Wolfendale early one morning in June this year.

She was rushed to the Royal Bolton Hospital, where she was put on a life support machine, then transferred to the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, where she died the next day.

An inquest in Bolton heard how Daniella, a pupil at Ladybridge High School, had been diagnosed with diabetes at the age of eight and became used to administering insulin to control it herself.

The court heard she would sometimes be teased about her illness by fellow pupils, and at the time of her death had been suspended from school for fighting with another girl. The day before her mother found her collapsed, Daniella had appeared normal, took her insulin as usual and went to bed.

But at 5am, when she was found, her blood glucose levels had fallen.

Doctors told deputy coroner Alan Walsh that Daniella's diabetes had been poorly controlled and she had missed several clinic appointments.

Consultant endocrinologist Dr Catherine Hall explained that the lack of adrenal gland function meant Daniella would not have the same symptoms as other diabetic patients to warn her that her blood sugar was getting too low. She added that a risk of taking insulin, which brings down blood sugar levels that are too high, is that the levels can go the opposite way and drop too low, leading to a seizure and lack of oxygen to the brain.

Deputy coroner Alan Walsh recorded a verdict of death by misadventure.