
October 29, 2004
Diagnosis and Symptoms
Question from Lachine, Michigan, USA:
My eleven year old daughter was recently diagnosed with type 1. Nobody in our family has diabetes. The doctors say she caught a virus this summer, possibly the chicken pox. She had the chicken pox when she was two. This summer she did have a rash, along with itching. We thought it was swimmer’s itch, which is common in our lake. Could she have gotten diabetes from swimmer’s itch or chicken pox?
Answer:
Your daughter’s diabetes has been developing for months to years. Diabetes is an autoimmune disease. You can read more at What is Type 1 Diabetes? Maybe she did have a virus this summer; any role it had was to stress her and bring the developing diabetes to your knowledge. It didn’t cause the diabetes.
LSW