The mother of a five-year-old with diabetes is urging parents to be more aware of the symptoms.
Emma Collins, from Peasedown St John, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of two, and is fitted with an insulin pump.
Her mother Annabel is backing a campaign by Diabetes UK to help parents look out for the symptoms associated with the condition.
She said: "Diabetes is serious and I don't think many parents are aware of it.
"They are not sure what to look for and need to be aware. If you catch it before it gets too bad then you can control it."
Mrs Collins and her husband Julian first realised that something was wrong when Emma lacked energy and was drinking a lot.
They took her to an out-of-hours GP, who sent Emma to the Royal United Hospital with a suspected chest infection.
There Emma was given antibiotics, but when they didn't work she was sent back for a finger prick test which showed that she had type 1 diabetes.
When she was first diagnosed, she had to have four injections a day.
However, in October 2010 she had the pump fitted, giving her a more normal life.
Mrs Collins said: "She also doesn't have to have any injections, which is good, but she does have to have eight finger pricks a day. This monitors her levels and is very important."
Emma, who is a pupil at St Julian's Primary School, Wellow, copes with her condition well, and has received good support from the school and her sisters Olivia, 12, and Madison, 10.
Mrs Collins said: "She is a very brave girl and copes well with the condition.
"It does affect her and makes her tired, but on her good days she is like any other little girl, and goes swimming and to ballet."
