Seen any research on environmental factors?

[jcanolson]

My dd was dx in 10/2005 at age 3. Our neighbor's child was just dx a few months ago around age 3. Everything I have read indicates a genetic cause, but I can't help but wonder considering we live in a sub-d of about 20 houses and 2 of us have pre-schoolers with Type 1.
Just wondering if any of you had seen anything or had similiar experience.

[Tigerlilly's mom]

I have been wondering the same thing. There were 3 kids in our small town diagnosed in the past year (two within a week of one another) And these newly diagnosed do not include my son.

Almost seems as though there may be some kind of environmental "trigger".

[MysticSisters]

I don't know about environmental but I know that trauma can bring it out or extreme illnesses.

Interesting concept. I'm excited to see what other have to say.

[Gwyn]

Our doctor had 13 new cases last month. In a town of roughly 200,000 it seems like a lot to me.

[Judy&Alli]

It's funny that you posted this. When All was diagnosed the hospital told us to call the local chapter of the JDRF to meet up with other families in our area that had diabetes. So I did. Noone in our town had type 1. It was confirmed when I asked at the school if Alli was the only one with type 1. Fast forward to one year later almost to the day. My neighbor's daughter was diagnosed.

I think that is very peculiar that the only two people in our town that have type 1 live on the same street. We have often joked that there is something in the water. We have well water so it is a half joke.

Something that makes you go HMMMMMMM!!!!!!:cwds:
Judy:)

[rachabetic]

My mom read a book that did a study that said that (not sure about exact numbers) about 25% of the people who who went swimming in the gulf of mexico, and around there, got many different diseases, including diabetes. I think there are deffininantly environmental factors that trigger diabetes, i just think that no body really knows what they are yet.

[trickyw72]

I have also wondered about the environmental triggers. My boys were diagnosed within 7 months of each other. I sometimes wonder what would have happened if we had moved to another town/street after DS#1 was diagnosed, whether my baby would have got it? Guess we'll never know ...

[lynn]

When my son was diagnosed (2-06) his pediatrician told me that their office diagnosed seven other kids that month! He said that he and his brother (who is a ped. endo.) figured it was one of the viruses that went through that winter.

[StillMamamia]

Excellent question. Often wondered the same...

My question is: are environmental-trigger studies (for d or ther diseases) free from gov't 'pressure groups'? I would imagine there is scientific 'proof' of certain environmental dangers which are downplayed....for economic reasons...and this is probably one of them. Just my opinion.

Any links??

[OSUMom]

We have 3 in our same subdvision of 71 homes. :( We were diagnosed maybe in a 4-5 year span of one another.

[brownkkeb]

We have 11 houses on our street, and only 6 kids until about a year ago (now there are 9). Of those six kids, 2 have type 1 - my son who was diagnosed last summer at age 3, and a neighbor who was diagnosed about 4 years ago, during the summer, at age 11. Two out of 6?????

Kathy

[kodasmom]

We live in a small rural town of about 3500 people. As of now, that I know of, there are 11 kids with type 1.
Pretty scary!

[Ellen]

The World Health Organization collects epidemiological data. http://www.pitt.edu/~iml1/diabetes/DIAMOND.html

Unfortunately the United States does not consider type 1 diabetes to be reportable so there are no accurate statistics for the USA. WHO has been unsuccessful in trying to get CDC to make it reportable.

Here's one article: Environmental triggers and determinants of type 1 diabetes.

http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/full/54/suppl_2/S125

[wilf]

Research is suggesting that Type 1 diabetes may be triggered by a flu-like virus, and (due to its similar "shape") that the immune system subsequently mistakes the body's beta cells for the virus and starts attacking them.

[AlisonKS]

we've moved around a lot so I'd never know-I think this home is the 4th house Tony's lived in and he's only 2. But we have that genetic link, and my aunt was diagnosed at 20 months too. Sometimes I wonder cause we lived right next to an airbase for his first 1 1/2 years of life, and there were some nasty emissions, I remember looking up at the sky and thinking "that's not good" lol.

[AmberO]

Those 2 articles that Ellen posted already show what I was gonna say about Finland being one of the top researchers of the world for Environmental impact vs Type I. However I don't think any conclusions have been reached of yet of exactly what the outside influence could be.

Nikki's next endo appt is in May, so if anyone has any questions about any recent research findings, pm me and I'll make a list and ask them at her next appt.

[twodoor2]

In Finland, researchers are suggesting that a lack of vitamin D (primarily obtained from sunshine) may attribute to the higher rates of diabetes in Northern European countries. It is therefore recommended to give higher than usual doses of vitamin D to people with a genetic history of Type 1 in their families.

http://adc.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/adc.2007.128579v1

[AmberO]

Yes I seem to recall reading an article in Readers Digest some years back about the higher vit D defiaciancy leading to Rickets in Finland and northern lappland of the other scan countries.

However I have another theory based on talks with other expats and stuff that I've heard and read about. That Finland being so secluded, I guess the bare bones of it is the culture is somewhat "inbred". Leading to diseases that are beyond rare in most parts of the world. FOD (fatty oxidation disorder) has 35 cases in Finland ( I think according to the parent of 2 brothers in our daycare with it)

The amount of Finns with lactose intolerance is unbelievable!

My friend who was dx with Leukemia last year told me that the Dr's here said that if any Finn were to need a bone marrow transplant for LK, then they would have an 80-90% chance in finding a donor outside of the family.

Sorry to go off topic! I hold Finland in my hopes for a cure, even though the dx rate is alarming. The nurse told me in one month they have about 60 new cases of juv D dx. And that's just one hospital in my region with that number of cases.

[StillMamamia]

What about Sardinia?? Not a Scandinavian country, yet an increasing rate of Type 1 diabetes...maybe genetic factor???

[linda]

I know during my research we found countless articles debating the genetic/environmental weight of the diagnosis for T1 D and other Autoimmune diseases. The only theories we demised were having to do with the so called connection to vaccines or chemicals in drinking water, but these dont realy bear any substance as to why not more sibling cases?...same genetics and environment...just my thoughts...more i think we all carry the risk but only an unfortunate few have all of the pieces of the puzzle connect to cause the wrath