Passing on diabetes to children - Is it a given?

[Dollyrocker]

I've been trying to do some research into this as it's something that has been preying on my mind of late but can't seemt o find any definite answwers. There seem to be a few people on these forums who are T1 and have T1 children and I also know a few families where 2 or more siblings have diabetes.

Does anyone know the facts and figures on this? What are the chances of passing it on or is it really a 'do all you can while pregnant and hope for the best' type situation?

I'd love to start a family but I would be devastated if I passed my diabetes onto my child/ren. For me personally I'm the only one in my family that has diabetes, my Mum thinks her cousin may have had it but that's the closest link, I'm an anomily! There's no diabetes in my partner's side either as far as he knows. I know there's a lot worse conditions to have and nobody can give me a definite answer but I'm interested in other peoples experiences/research if there is any!

 

[cugila]

I don't think anybody can answer your question with certainty........it is ongoing research and may not be concluded for another 10 - 15 yrs ! Here is a link to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation which has some information about Type 1 and possible hereditary links:

http://www.jdrf.org/index.cfm?page_id=103442#hereditary

 

[the_anticarb]

Well i have a form of diabetes which is wholly genetic, passed on by a single, dominant gene. So my kids have a 50% chance of getting it. It's Mody diabetes and according to my consultant is on the increase although at the mo only affects 5% of diabetics. But that's rare. What kind of diabetes have you been diagnosed with?

There's absolutely nothing I can do to affect whether or not my kids get it or not, as its a single gene with no environmental interaction, they will either get it or not when the sperm meets the egg (although it doesn't manifest til adolescence)

 

[cugila]

Dollyrocker is a 'Type 1 according to her profile.

This from the link I posted which seems to suggest there MAY be environmental factors involved.

Researchers are still trying to get a clear picture about how genes and environmental factors interact to determine a person's risk of developing type 1 diabetes. Forty percent of everyone in the United States carries one or more of the HLA genes (human leukocyte antigen) which lead to increased risk of type 1 diabetes. To be at increased risk, however, an individual needs two copies of these genes, one from each parent.

One in 400-500 people in the general population develops type 1 diabetes, but 1 in 20 (5 percent) people are at risk if a parent, sibling, or child has the disease. Research has shown, however, that genes don't tell the whole story, and suggests that environmental factors (which are not yet fully known) play a role as well.

 

[Dollyrocker]

Thank you for the replies, I am indeed a T1.

That article was very interesting, it seems that the risk is less than I thought but still a risk nonetheless.

I've found it really hard to find any information specific to T1, there seems to be a lot more research for T2 genetic risks though mostly related to pregnancy.

I'd be interested in hearing from any T1s who have had children with or without T1

 

[totsy]

hya, im the only type 1 in my family and none of my kids have it, i started with it late so i do hope that my kids dont get it , its just a chance we have to take

 

[bentley's girl]

Hi there, I'm new to this forum and have generally only read posts but this is an issue close to my heart. My husband is type 1, diagnosed in his mid 20's (now 51yrs). I have 3 children of whom 2 are also type 1. My eldest daughter Amy (19yrs) was diagnosed at age 3, and my son Ryan (17yrs) diagnosed at age 13. So far my youngest Megan(15yrs) is ok, although I must admit it is always at the back of my mind if she goes to the loo once too often! (neurotic mother !). When Amy was first diagnosed I was told by the consultant that the hereditary risks are higher if the father is type 1. He also said the odds of one of our children developing diabetes was 1/20. However, if one child developed diabetes then the odds for a subsequent child was 1/10. But to be honest, you have to look at the positive side of things - the odds for megan are that she has a 9/10 chance of NOT developing diabetes. And I have always taken the view that there's a lot worse than diabetes out there, I am just grateful that's all we have to worry about. Diabetes is just a way of life in our house really and although I would give anything for none of them to be diabetic, I have 3 wonderful children and I would have had them regardless of the odds. 1 daughter at University and my son going next year. They have very full and active lives and I wouldn't change anything. Go ahead and have your family and enjoy every minute of it, and remember the odds are that your children WON'T develop diabetes.

 

[Dollyrocker]

Thank you for your post bentley's girl, that's really interesting and I totally agree with your sentiment that there are worse conditions to have!

 

[sugar2]

Hi, My dad thinks his father was T1...but died so long ago, we don't know for sure.

I am T1, have been since I was 4. i have 2 children, who are 2 and 4...and everytime they ask me for an extra drink, my heart goes cold...poor little things, if they need the loo more than twice in an hour, the thought goes through my head "test them!!!! I have not yet tried to do a BG test on my children I have to add, but I have that thought a few times. It really worries me, but it didn't worry me enough to stop me wanting and having children. It is all statistics, and having diabetes does not mean my life is not worth living...so now I am a cream crackered Mum.

There are so many things to consiider when considering children...and I suppose, if my kids do become diabetic, at least I will not have quite as big a learning curve, as none diabetic parents of diabetic children (Ok, so it is a desperate bright side, but I try to be positive).

 

[bentley's girl]

I agree with you about looking for positives though. I'm a great believer in for every negative look for the positive to balance life out. My positive was that I was able to recogise and address my childrens diabetes before they became really ill on diagnosis the way some kids are and also I had a good knowledge on the subject. Also, it really does help that my husband fully understands how they feel when they've been unwell, I've found that to be a great help for them.When my oldest daughter was a baby I have to admit it was always in the back of my mind about her becoming diabetic and as I had monitoring equipment at home I did check her blood sugars from time to time. But I was wrong doing this, why worry about what may or not be when you can't change or prevent it. Focus on, and enjoy, the here and now. Worry about tomorrow when tomorrow comes. And remember the odds are AGAINST your kids becoming diabetic.

 

[Skid]

My Nan had type 1, her children (my Mother and my Uncle) don't have it, but my and my brother both have type 1. My stepfathers fathers had type 1, my stepfather, his sister and brother don't have it. My half brother and half sister don't have it, despite having 2 grandparents, one on either side, having type 1. None of my cousins have it either.

I know it sounds confusing written like that, but it basically means that none of the children of a type 1 has developed type 1 in our family, but 2 grandchildren did.

 

[Dollyrocker]

That's interesting skid, thanks. I'm sure I read that it's common to miss a generation so that sounds totally plausible.

When I was diagnosed I know my mum felt very guilty as it was only her cousin who had it but that was still the nearest relative. I guess the odds are with me but it still gives me pause.

 

[Skid]

You shouldn't worry about passing it on to your children Dolly, I'd rather be alive and diabetic than never have existed at all. I'm sure that you feel the same, so why won't your own children?

 

[Celtic.Piskie]

Yes Diabetes is a pain in the bum.

But you're happy enough with your life to want children, so why should it be a concern?

Has your life been worth living? If so, why should the possiblity of diabetes stopy ou from having children?

 

[Dollyrocker]

The thing is,I was diagnosed at 17 so I have always been able to take care of myself and my control has always been acceptable/good, I've only had one instance of a really bad hypo and that didn't even end in seizure.

I have gigantic respect for all the parents of diabetic children and I've been reading a lot of posts here and on other forums from parents of children with diabetes and it seems like kids have it a lot harder than I ever had. I'm not saying I wouldn't be prepared to care for a child with diabetes, far from it, I just know my heart would break if they had a bad time of it with hypos and seizures and having to wake them 4 times a night to check their blood sugar and god forbid if something worse happened and I would blame myself for my bad genetics.

 

[RoyJ]

I don't think it's a given, but I agree with the post above. I'm sure we'd all rather be alive and diabetic than not at all!

 

[josie38]

Hi dolly,

When i was diagnosed 13 years ago I was told that the risk of passing on diabetes was greater if you were male (sorry to the blokes). The only person that i knew of to have diabetes was my great-nan and she was type 1. I am the only one out of four kids to have it, neither my parents or grand parents had it, so you do feel like a bit of an anomaly!

So i would say no it is not a given that you will pass it on to your children. I have two, 3 & 4, and i do worry about them developing it but i think i will cross that bridge if it comes to it. I am happy to know that if they do develope it they have someone to talk to about it and to help them out.

Josie