The Risk Factors for Juvenile Diabetes

Although there is no known cause for juvenile diabetes there are risk factors that can contribute to the likeliness a child will be diagnosed with the disease.  As some forms of type 1 diabetes are an autoimmune disease you can be at a higher risk if you have already been diagnosed with a different autoimmune disease.  There are also some conditions surrounding a mother’s pregnancy and labor than could contribute to the diagnosis of juvenile diabetes.

If your child has been diagnosed with one of these autoimmune disease he or she is considered at a higher risk for diabetes in childhood:

* If your child has had one of these viruses:  hepatitis, mumps, or CMV disease
* Thyroid problems known as hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism (or Graves disease)
* Celiac disease

There has been some evidence that has shown that a child born to a mother over the age of 35 could be at higher risk for developing type 1 diabetes.  This is not conclusive and it is not to say that a child born to a younger mother is not at risk as well.  Some studies
indicate that a mother who had pre-eclampsia during pregnancy will give birth to a baby with a higher risk of being diagnosed – but this is not a proven fact.

Other risk factors include race – people from Northern Europe or areas of the Mediterranean – are considered at higher risk than other races.  Environmental and dietary factors can play a role too.  If a child is under a lot of stress it is considered a reason why he or she may go onto develop type 1 diabetes.  Dietary risks factors include high levels of dairy and nitrosamines (used as a preservative in some meats and cheeses). 

Exposure to toxins is considered a risk factor too.

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