January 29, 2006
Honeymoon, Other
Question from Nicosia, Cyprus:
My daughter, now five and half, was diagnosed in February 2005 with type 1 diabetes. At the time of her diagnosis, she was 112 cm (3 feet, 8 inches) tall, 23.6 kg (52 pounds), and her A1c was 10. In October, she was up to 120 cm (3 feet, 11 inches) tall and her weight was up to 27 kg (59 pounds). Her A1c was down to 4.8. Her C-Peptide was 1.88 NG/ML and, along with some other tests, the doctor told us she is producing some insulin. Is this due to the honeymoon period or something else? Please note that she looks much older than the other children of her age. Is it possible that being diagnosed is due to this? Could it be that her growing body cannot cover her insulin needs and, possibly, when growth stops, she will be producing enough insulin. Are there any other tests that can be done to assess her case? There is no history of diabetes in our family
Answer:
It sounds like typical diabetes. There is some association with early puberty and increased weight, called the accelerator hypothesis, by researchers in England who are studying it. But, you should take care of your child the same way one cares for all children with diabetes: maximum glucose control, use appropriate insulin, appropriate food planning and lots of blood glucose monitoring to tell you what needs to change, when, etc. Stay in close contact with your diabetes team since they can provide you with the best advice for your own child.
SB
