Will I Pass on Blazon 1 Diabetes to My Baby?

It is natural for people with blazon i diabetes (T1D) to worry virtually the possibility of passing the disease on to their children. Reassuringly, the disease does non develop in a majority of people with genetic chance factors. Only that said, your child will still have a greater gamble of developing type ane than the general population—on average, this gamble is nearly fifteen times greater for someone with a relative who has the disease.

 Besides having a parent with the disease, your child'due south risk of inheriting blazon ane can be impacted by boosted factors like:

  • Gender
  • Race/ethnicity
  • Where you live (the disease is more common in countries farther from the equator)
  • How quondam you were when y'all developed type 1 diabetes
  • The presence of diabetes-related autoantibodies in your torso
  • Whether one or both parents have the disease
  • Your age when the baby is born (if you are a woman)
  • Having sure immune arrangement disorders in addition to type one

Source: ADA

It is important to remember that one's genetic makeup is not the only factor at play. In fact, 80 percent of people with blazon i diabetes have no family history of the disease.

 Researchers are all the same trying to empathise exactly how genes and environmental factors interact to determine a person's risk of developing type 1 diabetes—for example, certain viruses that target beta cells, causing the body'due south autoimmune response to go awry and attack salubrious cells. According to ADA, early diet may also play a role in the development of the disease; information technology is less common in people who were breastfed and in those who began eating solid nutrient at later ages.

Will the Disease Develop equally My Kids Grow Upward?

The question of whether your child has type 1 diabetes will always linger in the back of your listen every bit you sentry them grow up. When they are thirsty and drinking more than usual, yous'll wonder if it could be type 1 diabetes or if they're just dehydrated from playing exterior on a hot summer 24-hour interval. When they wake up to use the bath more once in the night, you lot'll have that question in the dorsum of your head.

 Antibiotic tests may help predict the development of the disease earlier symptoms announced. There are families in which none of the children develop type ane diabetes, some families in which all of the kids are diagnosed, and some families where some kids have type 1 diabetes, and some do not. To learn more than about your family'south risk, visit TrialNet.

Signs of Type 1 Diabetes in Kids

Of course, equally a parent, you lot hope your child does not develop type 1 diabetes. However, information technology is important for you to be aware of the symptoms of the disease in children, so that yous tin can recognize them early on and get your child tested.

  • Frequent urination and thirst: Having high blood sugar eliminates fluids from the body, which will atomic number 82 to increased thirst and the demand to take more bathroom breaks throughout the day.
  • Fatigue:If your kid is constantly tired, information technology may exist a sign that their body is having problem turning saccharide in the bloodstream into energy.
  • Changes in vision:Loftier blood saccharide levels tin can pb to blurred vision or other eyesight problems.
  • Fruity smelling jiff: If your kid's jiff smells fruity, it could be a consequence of backlog sugar in the blood.
  • Extreme hunger and unexplained weight loss:When your kid'south muscles and organs aren't receiving enough energy, it tin can trigger extreme hunger. And sudden weight loss—especially if they are eating more than—should not be ignored.
  • Unusual behavior: If your child seems more moody or restless than normal—and it'south in conjunction with the symptoms higher up—it could be crusade for concern.

The signs of type 1 diabetes may differ slightly for kids of different ages. If you have a toddler or teen, learn more than nearly the symptoms they might experience.


JDRF funds studies into what causes T1D and so that we can learn how to cure it.