I am a 34 year old female with three children (ages two, four and 10 months), and when I was 18 years old, I was diagnosed with hypoglycemia and recently, I have been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. My three children share not only my genes but the genes of their aunt (father’s side) who is hypothyroid and has Myasthenia Gravis. My maternal grandfather had Late-onset Autoimmune Diabetes of Adulthood (LADA) diabetes, but he habitually avoided doctors so we don’t know his true medical history.

What is the typical time line for development of type 1 or type 2 diabetes? Are there any precursors? With a family history of endocrine diseases what, if anything, should be noted or tested for during my children’s routine physicals?

Type 1 diabetes typically develops over days or weeks in younger people usually under the age of 40. type 2 diabetes usually affects older people and can develop over months or even years.

There is no good screening test for diabetes, but if you are worried about your family developing diabetes you can check for islet cell antibodies that can give you a risk of developing diabetes. It is worth chatting this over with your doctor.

JS

[Editor’s comment: See James M. LaGasse, MS, Michael S. Brantley, Nicola J. Leech, MD, Rachel E. Rowe, MD, Stephanie Monks, PHD, Jerry P. Palmer, MD, Gerald T. Nepom, MD, PHD, David K. McCulloch, MD, and William A. Hagopian, MD, PHD Successful Prospective Prediction of Type 1 Diabetes in Schoolchildren Through Multiple Defined Autoantibodies, Diabetes Care 25:505-511, 2002.

SS]