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Prevention
By Mayo Clinic staffThere's nothing you or your child could have done to prevent type 1 diabetes; there is currently no known way to prevent type 1 diabetes.
Tests can be done in children who have a high risk of developing type 1 diabetes to see if they have any of the antibodies associated with type 1. However, the presence of these antibodies doesn't mean that diabetes is a certainty, and there's currently no known way to prevent type 1 diabetes if the antibodies are found.
Researchers are working on preventing type 1 diabetes in people who have a high risk of developing the disease, such as those who have the type 1 antibodies, and others are working on preventing further destruction of the islet cells in people who are newly diagnosed.
Some children with type 1 diabetes may be eligible for clinical trials, but carefully weigh the risks and benefits of any treatment available in a clinical trial with your doctor.
While there's nothing you could have done to prevent your child's diabetes, you can help your child prevent complications due to type 1 diabetes by helping him or her maintain good blood sugar control as much as possible.
In addition, be sure to schedule regular visits with your child's diabetes doctor and a yearly eye exam beginning no more than five years after the initial diabetes diagnosis.
And, like everyone else, people with type 1 diabetes should eat a healthy diet full of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and participate in regular physical activity to help keep their hearts healthy.
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- Types of insulin. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/medicines_ez/insert_C.htm. Accessed Feb. 24, 2011.
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