September 18, 2003
Research: Causes and Prevention
Question from Albany, New York, USA:
My daughter was recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. We moved into our house seven years ago, and the previous owner had a son who developed type 1 diabetes a year after they moved out. He lived in the house for 10 years. Also, we had a next door neighbor, same age as my daughter, who was diagnosed with leukemia.Is this a coincidence or could it be an environmental hazard in my home or neighborhood?
Answer:
This sounds a bit suspicious, but you are correct that this just could be a very unfortunate coincidence. There are some studies about leukemia and also about diabetes clusters in neighborhoods that make one suspect an environmental toxin of some sort. However, despite many researchers looking nobody has yet conclusively demonstrated a culprit. I would discuss this with your daughter’s diabetes team and see if they have some ideas.
SB
