{"id":34095,"date":"2013-10-06T08:36:04","date_gmt":"2013-10-06T12:36:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=34095"},"modified":"2015-12-27T15:42:46","modified_gmt":"2015-12-27T20:42:46","slug":"screening-for-type-1-diabetes-whats-a-mom-to-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=34095","title":{"rendered":"Screening for Type 1 Diabetes: What\u2019s a Mom To Do?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Trial<\/a>I recently visited my endocrinologist for a routine checkup. I was in the waiting area reading, texting, and, well, waiting. A woman who works at the office \u2013 she helps coordinate research \u2013 sat down next to me and introduced herself. She asked if I\u2019d heard about diabetes screening. She handed me a brochure that read, \u201cCan Type 1 Diabetes Be Prevented?\u201d<\/p>\n

I thought, Apparently not. I\u2019m in a diabetes center.<\/em><\/p>\n

Under the title was a picture of an idyllic-looking family. Mom, Dad, Son, and Daughter. Smiling like they didn\u2019t have a care in the world. It wasn\u2019t clear to me who had diabetes, who knew they were genetically-at-risk for diabetes, and who didn\u2019t have diabetes in their cards at all. It didn\u2019t matter. They were content. The only thing missing from the picture was a genetically-at-risk golden retriever.<\/p>\n

The woman went on to ask me if I had any siblings.<\/p>\n

I told her Yes.<\/p>\n

She asked if they\u2019d be interested in screening for type 1 diabetes.<\/p>\n

I told her that I doubted it. One\u2019s over 30 and the other is close. And we come from a long line of worriers.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Then she asked if I had any children.<\/p>\n

I nodded my head. I knew where she was headed.<\/p>\n

She said that my daughter could get screened for type 1 diabetes when she turns three.\u00a0 She asked what I thought about that.<\/p>\n

What I thought was this:\u00a0 screening Maya would be a great thing to do if I wanted to stop sleeping at night.<\/p>\n

But I didn\u2019t want to be rude. I thanked the woman for the information and told her I\u2019d consider it.<\/p>\n

My emotional decision was No, thank you<\/em>. But when I got home, I thought about it on a rational level. And I understand why people screen their loved ones.<\/p>\n

First:\u00a0 it helps advance science.<\/p>\n

Second:\u00a0 there\u2019s no concrete way to prevent type 1 diabetes now, but maybe there will be a way in the future. If you\u2019re in a database of at-risk patients, you\u2019d be the first to find out.<\/p>\n

Last: in the very best case, the person tests out of diabetes. No genetic risk. Everyone jumps for joy.<\/p>\n

But.<\/p>\n

Of course remains the dreaded possibility; the one where the test says that your most precious cargo might get diabetes. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

I suppose if you\u2019ve got a good head on your shoulders, you could just put the information in your pocket and carry on.<\/p>\n

But if you\u2019re anything like me, the knowledge that your child MIGHT get type 1 diabetes would be terribly debilitating.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Once you have the information, then what?<\/p>\n

Do you wait around for diabetes to strike?<\/p>\n

Does every \u201cMommy, I want another drink of water?\u201d give you heart palpitations?<\/p>\n

If prevention \u2013 not just talk of prevention \u2013 but actual prevention was a reality, my perspective would be different. But right now, it just seems like an easy way to cause unnecessary stress.<\/p>\n

I took a psychology class in college and I remember learning about self-fulfilling prophecies. If I think that something is likely to happen, it will happen. Maybe it\u2019s silly, but I believe in that sort of thing. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Right now, I have no reason to believe that Maya is likely to get diabetes. So why give myself a reason?<\/p>\n

In the meantime, I respect everyone\u2019s decision to test or not test their children. And I\u2019d love to hear from you. If you could find out the odds, would you?<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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