Causes of Type 1 Diabetes in Children, Causes of Type 1 Diabetes in Kids
Causes of Type 1 Diabetes in Children
There is no known cause of type 1 diabetes in children, although it's thought that certain genes may make some children more susceptible to the disease—while an environmental source, like a virus, may trigger it.
In most cases, children with type 1 diabetes show antibodies to pancreatic islet cells (the cells that produce insulin) at the onset of the disease. This supports the idea that a type 1 diabetic child's own immune system may attack the islet cells in the pancreas, destroying the insulin-producing capability.
Only 10 percent of diabetic children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes have a family member with the disease.
Learn More about Type 1 Diabetes in Children
Contact Phoenix Children's Hospital to learn more about the causes of type 1 diabetes in children.
(602) 546-0935
