I am concerned about a teen who has been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Can it be induced? I am concerned about Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome. The girl was in perfect health and there was no family history of the disease. Two weeks ago, the girl was in perfect health, then went on a two week vacation and was diagnosed with diabetes. Her younger sibling intermittently vomits for days to weeks and the diagnosis befuddles experts at hospital and the Cleveland Clinic. Many friends have had questions about the younger child; now this. What are we to think?

There are some pretty good tests for type 1 diabetes, for antibodies (ICA, IAA, GAD-65, etc.) You can read about them at our page What is Type 1 Diabetes?

One can give poisons to destroy the pancreas, but it would take access to laboratory chemicals to do that and I find it hard to believe someone could or would. The lethal dose is close to the effective dose and many laboratory mice and rats have paid the price. Otherwise, the way the usual case is presented is low glucose caused by injected insulin. Again, this is easy for a doctor to spot with easy laboratory tests if it is thought about.

LD

[Editor’s comment: You may wish to review the Symptoms of Diabetes on our site. Some of the symptoms may not be easy to observe unless in the presence of the affected person many hours of the day.

BH]