A DEVASTATED couple who claim their son died in Thailand because doctors failed to properly recognise his diabetes are warning others to take care when travelling abroad.

Ian Meech, 45, was taken to hospital after falling off a quad bike in Chiang Mai while on holiday.

Doctors believed he may have suffered a fractured skull as a result of the accident and as his condition worsened, they thought he may have suffered bleeding to the brain.

But his parents, Terry and Pearl Meech, of Highfield Crescent, Rayleigh, both believe he suffered a hypoglycaemic episode in hospital and never recovered.

They are now desperate to tell his tragic story in a bid to warn others of the potential dangers of hospital care abroad, particularly in the Far East.

Ian owned a property in Thailand and had been to the country many times.

He travelled with a friend on April 3 to Chiang Mai, in northern Thailand, about 400 miles north of Bangkok.

The following day, the pair were on quad bikes when one of Ian’s tyres blew, and he fell off and hit his head. Despite wearing a helmet, he suffered a head injury and was taken to a nearby cottage hospital. Mr and Mrs Meech are convinced a hypoglycaemic episode was a result of the head trauma.

They ultimately believe it was a lack of sufficient care, in respect of the hypoglycaemic attack, which led to his death.

Hypoglycaemia is when blood sugar drops below normal levels. It is usually treated by an injection of insulin, or by eating or drinking glucose-rich food. In severe cases, it can lead to seizures, coma or even death.

Mr and Mrs Meech flew to Thailand as soon as they heard their son was being transferred to a bigger hospital when his condition did not improve.

Mrs Meech, 67, said as soon as she saw Ian lying in a hospital bed, she knew he was suffering the effects of a hypoglycaemic episode.

She said: “He looked weak and was very dehydrated, symptoms of hypoglycaemia. We told the nurses, but they said he was on a saline drip. But you can still dehydrate, even if you’re on a drip, if you are having a hypo.”

Mrs Meech said doctors showed her an MRI scan of her son’s head, which showed his injury had virtually healed.

It was then she became even more certain he had suffered a hypoglycaemic episode, as he was not showing signs of improvement, despite the encouraging scan.

She said her son’s friend had initially told doctors Ian suffered with diabetes.

Mrs Meech said: “I believe they might have mistaken the hypo for drunkenness, as it has similar symptoms. We explained he was a diabetic, but they seemed to have a different attitude to the condition and didn’t see it as life threatening.”

Mr Meech and his son were both diagnosed with diabetes about 15 years ago, so Mr and Mrs Meech felt confident they knew what they were talking about.

Mr Meech, 70, said: “Ian’s heat rate was very high, but they would not bring another specialist in.”

The couple said nurses tied Ian’s hands and legs to the bed, as he was having seizures. The language barrier was a huge problem, which did not help as they tried to get the message across..

Ian died on April 11. The cause of death was given as a heart attack as a result of a head injury, but Mr and Mrs Meech are adamant he died of a heart attack caused by the hypoglycaemic episode.

They claim if the same incident had happened in the UK, their son would still be here now.

Ian, who lived in Dartford after growing up in Rayleigh and attending Westcliff High School for Boys, was cremated in Chiang Mai, at a crematorium on the grounds of the hospital where he died. His parents held a memorial service in his honour at Rayleigh WI hall on May 24.

Mr and Mrs Meech are both desperate to warn others about the possible dangers of foreign travel with type-one diabetes.

Mr Meech, a type-two diabetic who takes tablets for the condition, said: “We want to warn others and want the input of others, so we can tell these stories and make people more aware.

“If you’re travelling with someone who is diabetic, make sure you are very aware of the condition and the symptoms”

l The Southend Volunteer Group of Diabetes UK holds its next meeting on Thursday night.

Mr Meech, chairman of the group, said it starts at 8pm at Southend Hospital’s education centre. Call 01268 747310.