Type I Diabetes CURED (In mice)
Dear Scientists,
I know that it must be difficult to find research money for your study and I understand that you are under pressure to generate excitement about your work.
I'm also extremely grateful to anyone who is trying to find a cure for type I diabetes. I don't want you to stop looking or collecting grants and donors, but I do need you to do one small favor for me, well, actually for everyone who is touched by type I diabetes.
STOP publishing your "exciting" news about curing lab mice!
You see, when I open my laptop and read your story about how you coaxed a cell into producing insulin, I shrug and go about my business because my daughter has been living with diabetes for a very long time and I've seen a thousand articles just like yours. I know not to get excited - I know that you're fishing for donors. I understand that you are trying to justify the space that you take up in some lab. I get what the price of doing business is, I empathize.
But how about having some compassion for the countless families who are new to type I diabetes, maybe you shouldn't be getting their hopes up just to break their hearts all over again. Maybe, you should just shut up until you figure out a way to help a person. These stories hurt people. Parents, adults, friends and family. People are crushed when you lift them so high, only to drop them down onto their reality. The next time I hear you talk about a mouse, it better be because you figured out how to use that "cure" you found in a person. We have feelings, consider them.
Evolution of a Blog
Arden's Day began in the summer of 2007 - it was never intended to be what it has become.
There have been two moments in the evolution of this blog that I see as pivotal. The first came after I became disenchanted about blogging. I was certain that there were plenty of people in the world doing what I was and that the community didn't need my voice. This feeling came to me after I read a number of blogs during 'Diabetes Blog Week' and saw many similarities between my writing and the other people participating in blog week.
I did stop writing for a short while, but I missed it so much.
When I realized how much I missed writing and contributing to the diabetes community, I searched for a way to share that I didn't think was repetitive.
Things were going along just fine until one day a reader told me something that changed everything...
I was speaking on the phone with a mother when she told me that sometimes she can't read the blog because it made her feel badly about how she was handling her child's diabetes.
I was momentarily confused, but she went on to explain that when things go right for us it can magnify when things go wrong for her. In short, hearing about good things sometimes made her feel like failure.
Well, that was about the most debilitating thing that I could have heard, but I understood. I gave that conversation a great deal of thought and then began to share everything, even the moments that made me feel like a failure.
These two moments have shaped everything that I've done here on Arden's Day, they transformed my writing and they are the only reason that my book is well received. Saying that I am grateful doesn't begin to cover it. Two moments, two people that opened me up to a part of myself that I was ignoring - it changed my life.
If you like this blog, you have Diabetes Blog Week and a mother who wasn't afraid to say that she felt like she was letting people down, to thank for it. Makes you wonder, doesn't it? Who or what are you effecting and where will it all lead?
Study: Effects of Type I Diabetes on a Young Child's Brain
I'm posting chunks from a recent study that can be found on Diabetes Care (American Diabetes Association) and blurbs from a corresponding article about the study, from Reuters Health. Study text is in the left column, Reuters on the right.
I don't believe that this information should lead you to more worry (Though it likely will) but I do believe that the parents of young children, who live with type I diabetes, should be aware of the study findings. These articles are not fun to read for many reasons, but I found them to be full of the kind of information that helps me to (hopefully) avoid long-term complications for Arden.
If you are currently struggling with BGs or generally feeling down about type I - seriously - bookmark this and save it for a better day - even though you'll likely not find much of the information surprising, it is a somber reminder. My thoughts, are as always, with you and your families. - Scott
Links to the complete articles are included below, at the end of each column.
“While many children may not show overt complications from these differences in neural structure, some do have difficulties with processing speed, memory, learning, and complex cognitive functions”
Alterations in White Matter Structure in Young Children With Type 1 Diabetes
Study Objective: To investigate whether type 1 diabetes affects white matter (WM) structure in a large sample of young children.
Results: Between-group analysis showed that children with type 1 diabetes had significantly reduced axial diffusivity (AD) in widespread brain regions compared with control subjects. Within the type 1 diabetes group, earlier onset of diabetes was associated with increased radial diffusivity (RD) and longer duration was associated with reduced AD, reduced RD, and increased fractional anisotropy (FA). In addition, HbA1c values were significantly negatively associated with FA values and were positively associated with RD values in widespread brain regions. Significant associations of AD, RD, and FA were found for CGM measures of hyperglycemia and glucose variability but not for hypoglycemia. Finally, we observed a significant association between WM structure and cognitive ability in children with type 1 diabetes but not in control subjects.
Conclusions: These results suggest vulnerability of the developing brain in young children to effects of type 1 diabetes associated with chronic hyperglycemia and glucose variability.
The entire study can be found here, it includes a significant introduction, an outline of research design and methods, as well as a description of the participants, CGM use in the study, data analysis and much more.
Chronic hyperglycemia, glucose variability may affect children's brains
By Lorraine L. Janeczko
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)
"Chronic hyperglycemia and glucose variability could impact the brains of young children with type 1 diabetes, new research suggests."
"In what the authors call the largest study to date investigating white matter structure in young children with type 1 diabetes, diabetic children had widespread and significant differences in their white matter microstructure compared with nondiabetic controls."
"Compared to controls, children with type 1 diabetes had significantly reduced axial diffusivity (AD) in their frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes. Earlier diabetes onset was associated with increased radial diffusivity (RD), and longer duration was associated with reduced AD, reduced RD, and increased fractional anisotropy (FA) (all P<0.05)."
"While many children may not show overt complications from these differences in neural structure, some do have difficulties with processing speed, memory, learning, and complex cognitive functions which can be associated with poor neuronal function," she said.
"I believe that these effects could be improved with good glycemic control, although an empirical investigation would help to answer this question. It seems that in the quest to prevent hypoglycemia in children with diabetes, there has been an increase in hyperglycemia in many children. It may be the case that a balance needs to be struck between the two extremes, perhaps with better methods of glucose monitoring."
FDA approves pediatric use of Dexcom’s G4 Platinum continuous glucose monitoring system
“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved the expanded use of the Dexcom G4 Platinum Continuous Monitoring System for patients with diabetes ages 2 to 17 years.”
“We are thrilled with the FDA’s approval of our Dexcom G4 PLATINUM System in the pediatric population. Daily management is relentless, and parents can now have greater peace of mind that a child’s diabetes is under control, whether the child is at home, away at school, or participating in activities or sports.”
Update: via email from DexCom: 2-4-14
The G4 PLATINUM (Pediatric) receiver works with the existing G4 PLATINUM sensor and transmitter. No need to order different sensors or transmitters. The components of the receiver are the same. It has the same settings, alerts and it calculates and displays your sensor glucose readings the same way as the receiver you have now. The Dexcom G4 PLATINUM (Pediatric) Receiver has two additional screens at the ‘Start Sensor’ and ‘Low Alert’ Menu options. These screens are reminders that you should use your blood glucose meter for any treatment decisions and not rely on CGM only to detect hypoglycemia.
Links
Having a Son Has Ruined Football for Me
“My kid need his brain, I can’t take that risk.”
I wrote about football violence (I grew up loving it) and my fear about letting my son play (It scares the crap out of me) on Huffington Post. I hope that you can check it out and share, it's beginning to get a lot of attention on their site. Links are popping up on the front page, on Huff Parents, Huff Dads, Huff NFL.
“That news when I read it on ESPN, made me sad for every time that I cheered him on. I felt complicit in his death and my love for football has been waning ever since.”