May 25, 2003
Diagnosis and Symptoms, Research: Causes and Prevention
Question from Saint Charles, Illinois, USA:
My 19 month old son was diagnosed last week, and I have repeatedly told my son’s doctor concerns of his breathing, dry skin, continuous colds and development issues since birth. He doctor knew my concern about diabetes in my kids since my husband has diabetes,and we even brought my daughter in to to check. The doctor put my son on steroids for his colds, etc. Were these all signs of the onset of diabetes? Could the steroids have brought it to the surface?
Answer:
I do not think that your son’s ‘dry skin, colds and developmental issues’ were in any sense an advance warning of diabetes although it is quite possible that the steroids, whilst not initiating the autoimmune disorder that causes this kind of diabetes, did hasten the pace with which the clinical phase developed. Type 1A (autoimmune) diabetes is hard to detect in its earliest stage by observation alone, but loss of weight, drinking more than usual and of course urinating more than usual are the traditional signs.
DOB
