We Just Found Out My 4 Year Old Has Type 1 Diabetes. Should I Be Worried About My 8 Month Old Having It Too?

first off i am sooo sorry… also my grandfather has diabetes and i have recently learned alot about it. i will tell you this, it might be possible that your other child could get it. but i dont know…there are different ways you can get diebetis though…family genes, obesidy, also you can have high blood sugar or something like that…what i would recomend is, and i am no doctor, but i would go talk to your doctor or watch what your child eats…maybe less sugar and less carbs, but enough needed…the good ones. there might not be anything to worry about… just help your child watch what he/she eats.
p.s. i am not a doctor or a nurse so i am not for sure on what i have told you but i just say that from experiance and knowledge from being told, and being told to watch what i eat because if i dont i could get become a diabetic.
i hope that this helps you, and i wish the best for you and your family…i will pray for you.

I would check from time to time, as it is better to be safe than sorry. But because one child gets it does not guarantee that the other one will. I have type 1 diabetes, but my sister is naturally hypoglycemic. Also, at the school I work at, there is a girl who is diabetic, but her twin sister is not. There probably is a genetic factor, but is has never been 100% defined, and probably your 8 month old is not much more at risk than most kids.
But I would still check your 8 month old once a year or so just to be safe.

It is possible, but not certain, that they are at a much higher risk. They are at a generally increased risk, but the only way to know for sure is to find out if they also inherited the genes (HLA typing, etc.) that predispose to Type 1 diabetes like their sibling did.
If yes, AND they have autoimmune (Type 1) diabetes anitbodies as well, their risk is quite high.
If they have neither, they are considered “low risk” (but it is still possible).
If they have the genes but no antibodies yet, it’s anybody’s guess. They are likely somewhere in the middle.
The above link is correct, the “typical” risk is 5-7%, but may be up to 20% or even greater in some families. Again this depends on which genes each child inherited.
Your best bet is to entrol your son in one of the Type 1 diabetes prevention trials. The goal is to try and stop the autoimmune attack before it occurs or completely destroys the beta cells in the pancreas.
Protege and TRIGR are 2 studies that come to mind. Your daughter may qualify for the first study, and your son for the second.
Even if it is too late to enrol for either, you can consult your local university hospital or doctor to see if you can participate in any upcoming trials. You can also search http://www.clinicaltrials.gov.
Current recent research suggest that the following *may* help prevent or delay the onset of Type 1 diabetes in those at risk:
-A gluten, soy, and casein free diet.
-Vitamin D and Omega 3 supplements.
-Avoiding the MMR vaccine (this one is contraversial).
Other than that, all you can do is hope for the best. It’s certainly worth a try regardless.
Best wishes.
Here is a great resource site to help you:http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com
EDIT: Tinker, you are talking about Type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is NOT related to poor diet (too many carbs, too much sugar, etc.) or obesity. Type 1 diabetes is NOT the same disease your grandfather has. It cannot be prevented by any known proven means.

I am 33 and was diagnosed at 18 months. My sister is 31 and was diagnosed at age 9. no one else in our family has diabetes. You now know the signs and symptoms of the disease, do not worry but be aware.
My parents sent us to a diabetic camp when we were kids and it was a wonderful experience, it also gave our parents a much needed break for 1 week every year.
Insulin pumps are exellent in helping keep tight control. Good blood sugar control and exercise will help your daughter live a long normal life. My sister and I both have children and live very normal lives.
All 3 of our kids used on soy formula for the first year of life. We live in different states and were both told by different doctors it may help in the prevention of diabetes. It is a theory, not a fact, but it couldn’t hurt
There is a great website, childrenwithdiabetes.com, that is a great site that covers everything and has a area for parents of diabetic children. I wish you the best of luck.