Type 1 Genetic Implications

[caitycakes]

Hi all,

When I was first diagnosed, I asked my DSN if there was an increased chance of any of my children "inheriting" my Type 1 diabetes. The answer I got was that the chance of it was so low that it was nothing to worry about. Now that my head has uncorked itself from my bahookie and I am taking control of the situation, I have started to wonder about this again. Mostly because I have realised that the info and advice given is often flawed ("eat plenty of complex carbs" being one scandalous piece of advice). Does anyone know what the incidence of children to Type 1 parents developing Type 1 themselves is?

Caitycakes x

 

[hanadr]

Until 1922, most T1s didn't live long enough to have children and safe delivery of babies to T1 mothers is more recent, so the familial patterns don't go back far, but there's a genetic link. It's not a single gene effect like haemophilia or Huntington's disease. But genes for many types of diabetes, which come into the T1 category are known. It may be simply a genetic predisposition, which causes the disease as a result of a particular kind of infection, or some other external effect that triggers the auto immune switch. It may be too that the predisposition to developing auto immune conditions is inherited.
I'm sure there must be hundreds of articles onthe interweb.

 

[hanadr]

I found this
Is it what you wanted? My previous post was from memory

>>In general, if you are a man with type 1 diabetes, the odds of your child getting diabetes are 1 in 17. If you are a woman with type 1 diabetes and your child was born before you were 25, your child's risk is 1 in 25; if your child was born after you turned 25, your child's risk is 1 in 100.

Your child's risk is doubled if you developed diabetes before age 11. If both you and your partner have type 1 diabetes, the risk is between 1 in 10 and 1 in 4.

There is an exception to these numbers. About 1 in every 7 people with type 1 diabetes has a condition called type 2 polyglandular autoimmune syndrome.

In addition to having diabetes, these people also have thyroid disease and a poorly working adrenal gland. Some also have other immune system disorders. If you have this syndrome, your child's risk of getting the syndrome including type 1 diabetes is 1 in 2.

Researchers are learning how to predict a person's odds of getting diabetes. For example, most whites with type 1 diabetes have genes called HLA-DR3 or HLA-DR4.

If you and your child are white and share these genes, your child's risk is higher. (Suspect genes in other ethnic groups are less well studied. The HLA-DR7 gene may put African Americans at risk, and the HLA-DR9 gene may put Japanese at risk.)

Other tests can also make your child's risk clearer. A special test that tells how the body responds to glucose can tell which school-aged children are most at risk.

Another more expensive test can be done for children who have siblings with type 1 diabetes. This test measures antibodies to insulin, to islet cells in the pancreas, or to an enzyme called glutamic acid decarboxylase. High levels can indicate that a child has a higher risk of developing type 1 diabetes. <<

 

[totsy]

hya,silly question ..but i got type 1 at 32 and thyroid probs at 21,what are the risks for my kids that were all born b4 diagnosis,thanks in advance

 

[Trinkwasser]

hya,silly question ..but i got type 1 at 32 and thyroid probs at 21,what are the risks for my kids that were all born b4 diagnosis,thanks in advance

Impossible to say without specific genetic testing IMO, but an order of magnitude less than getting Type 2 if your parents had it.

You'd probably be disallowed the genetic tests anyway unless you think it worthwhile to spring for them privately, your best bet would be to monitor your kids for any early signs and symptoms of thyroid as well as diabetes, or any other endocrine/autoimmune disorders

 

[caitycakes]

Hello Hana,

Thank you for the information. My oldest child was born before I was 25 but my two others were born when I was in my thirties. I also didn't get diabetes until I was 45 so fingers crossed for the kids!

Caitycakes x

 

[hanadr]

Whether a gene has expressed in you or not yet, makes no difference to whether you pass it on. We pass on many recessive genes that we don't know we carry.

 

[Blackadder]

I was always under the impression and advised by GP and Consultants that the woman/mother was more likely to be the carrier than the man and the odds were stacked that way?

Your figures suggest my children have a 1 in 17 chance of getting it which is not great by any means. I have always been led to believe the odds were far higher than that.

Sorry not trying to suggest your wrong but where are those figures from?

 

[Blackadder]

Infact my childrens chances are doubled as I was 5 when I was diagnosed.

Bollox..This is one thing I was hoping I'd never have much chance of passing on to my children. Ruined my day that has.

 

[Blackadder]

Just found that article on the ADA and it is quite correct. <sigh>

I have found many other articles suggesting 6% chance too which sounds better but not great. Oh well lets hope everything works out ok.

 

[Katharine]

In my GP practice there are two families where a child has type one and the dad also has type one.

The advantage is that the family already know how to cope with diabetes. When I think of other devastating diseases eg Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, I am grateful that my son just has type one diabetes.

 

[hanadr]

I have taught in a school where there were several Duchene's children (they were assigned there, because it was single storey)
It is a horrible thing. I remember one day being delighted that one of these lads had made and thrown( supporting his throwing hand with his other one) a paper aeroplane. I did tell him off, but trying hard not to laugh. I couldn't treat him differently from the other kids. I'd rather have hugged him.
It's the only school I've ever encountered, where it says in the rules that it's forbidden to do "wheelies" in a wheelchair!

 

[Blackadder]

In my GP practice there are two families where a child has type one and the dad also has type one.

The advantage is that the family already know how to cope with diabetes. When I think of other devastating diseases eg Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, I am grateful that my son just has type one diabetes.

Well I can understand it being an advantage but looking after a child with type 1 seems horribly difficult even with prior knowledge of the disease. I always wondered quite how my mum and dad managed it with me. Neither of them have diabetes yet my uncle does and he has 3 sons none of which have it and they have several sibblings all clear. So I hope mine stay clear too of it and anything else for that matter.

 

[blackbird]

I've just joined the forum and found it very informative. I don't know about statistical evidence to back up genetic links, but my son was diagnosed with type 1 last year aged 12, this year in May I was diagnosed with type 1 myself. My sister's youngest son also has type 1. I can't help but think there is a definite genetic link.

 

[sugarybibs]

I got type 1 when i was 17.Never had my kids till i was in my early 30s they are now 22 21 19 17 and none of them have developed any symptons at all of diabetes.when they were born in the eighties and ninties i was told they had as much chance of developing type 1 as a normal couple.even when they were little they have never been tested for anything like this or even asked.Only on the day they born when they had the 24 hour heel prick blood tests for their blood sugars.I test them every so often on my blood glucose monitor.I am the only one in my family my parents had five of us ,none of my grandparents had diabetes not even any of my mates cousins neices nephews etc and i have loads of family have ever had diabetes type or type 2 so i guess i was the unlucky one.

 

[sugarybibs]

In my GP practice there are two families where a child has type one and the dad also has type one.

The advantage is that the family already know how to cope with diabetes. When I think of other devastating diseases eg Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, I am grateful that my son just has type one diabetes.

Well I can understand it being an advantage but looking after a child with type 1 seems horribly difficult even with prior knowledge of the disease. I always wondered quite how my mum and dad managed it with me. Neither of them have diabetes yet my uncle does and he has 3 sons none of which have it and they have several sibblings all clear. So I hope mine stay clear too of it and anything else for that matter.

I think it must be one of the worst things looking after a kid with type 1 diabetes too
I know other illnesses are bad as well but at least you know what it is.I got type at the age of 17 in the 1970s and i dont know how my poor mum and dad coped because i was bad then.i would have dreaded it if one of my kids got type 1 still do and they are older.Imagine having to keep checking their blood sugars at night in case they hypod going into the room to keep checking thinking of what will happen in the future if they dont keep blood sugar levels as normal as possible and the younger they get it the longer they have it.I dont think (even though i inject 4 times a day)i would even be able to inject my child especially a babe or toddler.

 

[Katharine]

Sugarybibs,

No one would do it if there was a choice of course. Interestingly I was reading in diabetes in control about a Smart Insulin that is just starting trials. You get one jag of it a day and it gets released when the blood sugar goes up a certain amount. The idea is that this covers meals all by itself. Sounds great ! Will this little piggy ever get to market of course?

If you have a child and it is "jags or die" you would get on with it in a heartbeat.

I know that the kids will still be a worry and also when they have children of their own the risk remains.

 

[Heidi]

My daughter was diagnosed type 1 when she was 9, her paternal uncle is type 1 and has been since he was 13, none of his three children have developed it as yet, 2 are older and 1 is younger than my daughter.

I was told if it's in your paternal line you are more likely to develop it than if it's in you maternel line.

I believe there has to be a genetic connection in it, there are too many incidents in families and if there isn't then why when you go for medicals or anything related to health are you asked if any1 in your family is Diabetic?

Know this probably doesn't ease your worry but it seems the same as a lot of things in life, unexplained pot luck.

 

[dad101255]

My brother and I both have Diabetes. I don't believe there is a hereditary connection as nobody can remember a family member with Diabetes before this. We have four grown up children between us, two of whom have made us grandparents, all of whom are fit as butchers' dogs with not a sniff of Diabetes. I accept that the brother thing is unusual, however, there is not a single shred of evidence of a hereditary connection in generations before or after. Hope this helps.