Youngest person DX with Diabetes type 1?

Does anyone know how old the youngest person was who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes?

Also how old the youngest kid was who recieved an insulin pump?

Pumpgirl 03

[pumpgirl03]

I watch this show on the learning channel called Resident Life it is a "real live" medical show that follows the lives of Residents or docs in training and there was a peds case where the baby was diagnosed at 5 months and she was put on a pump right away. I watched that right after I posted the question. Weird haunh that I had my answer on the TV right after I posted the ? on the forum.

I wanted to share that with everyone. I was shocked the symptoms that the baby had were just vomiting all her of her bottle up and she wasn't sleeping as well as she had before. Sounds like a hard pick-up if you ask me. Great of the parents to be on the ball like that.

Also dad was a type 1 and maternal grandparents were type 2's so it wasn't like there wasn't a family history. But I can't imagine 5months I mean my mom had a hard enough time when I was 11 and I could verbelize my symptoms.  

Just thought I would share my latest knowledge with the rest of the diabetes community.

Pumpgirl03

[JDRF-Team-LRS]

Those're great questions.  I remember reading about munchkins in the 3-4 years old range who are pumping ... well, actually, their mom or dad is pumping.

On another board, I read a msg from a poster who was diagnosed at the age of 1.  She's had DM for 45 years & is 46 years old.  Incredible that her parents/docs could ID symptoms in such a young child.

Until I read her story, the youngest person I knew of was my niece who was dx'd at age 4.

[JDRF-Team-sgg]

Whew! You know how to ask a question, Pumpgirl! I have been scrambling to research answers for you, and the two may be tied. Try this link: http://www.bzs.org/Diabetes/pkids.shtml

The site mentioned above tells of a 10-day-old boy who is thought to perhaps be the youngest diabetic pump user in the world. Now, within 10 days or so, he may be one of the youngest diabetics, also. When babies are born, blood work is routine, and diabetes could be discovered easily within days as the newborn's health is evaluated carefully, as apparently happened to the boy listed above.

[JDRF team jhg]

pumpgirl ~ I don't know that I've heard anyone state definitively what the youngest age for a person dx'd with type 1, but here in GA I know of a family whose son was finally diagnosed at 3-1/2 months.  He'd been sick for about a month, but was several times misdiagnosed.  So his onset was probably much earlier, possibly even at birth.  As to the age of pump use, I hadn't heard of a 5 month old, but the youngest I'm aware of was 10 months.  Lots of work for the parents, I'm sure, but probably much easier to control little one's blood sugars with their erratic eating patterns.  Great question, by the way!

[pumpgirl03]

Wow!!

10 days old. I can't even imagine that young.
Thanks for all of your knowledge!

Pumpgirl03

[JDRF-Team-sgg]

Like Pumpgirl, I was older (age 12) when diagnosed. I, too, have tremendous respect for the parents of young babies that have diabetes before they can communicate when they feel bad. But the treatments have become so sophisticated that I feel their future looks bright. I have been diabetic 34 years and am healthy as a horse other than the daily insulin requirements and careful watch I keep on blood sugars. These little ones have so much more going for them than I did back in the dark ages, and if I can live healthily through all the ignorance of twenty years ago, they have even a better chance now.

[MARYCLARI]

I'M A NURSE AND AS ALL OF US KNOW       NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE WE ALL SEE A CHANGE IN OUR BEHAVIOR BECAUSE WE ARE NO LONGER OBJECTIVE RE THE DISEASE. WHEN SOMEONE HAD A SEIZURE CHLID WE KNEW WITHOUT BEING TOLD  THE SAME IS TRUE FOR ME WITH DIABETES,,,A CHILD I LOVE MORE THAN LIFE ITSELF WAS DIAGNOSED 3/2 ... WE KNEW HE HAD IT FOR THE PAST TWO WEEKS  IN OUR HEARTS BUT MY SISTER HELD OUT HOPE UNTIL WE COULD NOT DENY IT.
THE PHYSICIANS WERE AMAZED THAT WE BROUGHT HIM IN AS QUICKLY AS WE DID ...THEY SAID MOST TIMES THEY END UP IN ICU WHEN BROUGHT IN AS SO EFFECTED...BUT WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS WE ACTUALLY REC TO MY SISTER TO BRING HIM IN TWO DAYS BEFORE AND SHE DID TO THE ER,,,THEY SAID IT WAS A VIRUS AND HE WOULD BE FINE..SHE GOT THEM TO DO A CXR THAT WAS NEGATIVE AS HE HAS HAD HX OF PNA BEFORE SHE LEFT THE ER...LUCKILY MY SISTER RETURNED WHEN HE WAS NOT IMPROVING...THE MDs SAID IT WAS TEXT BOOK CASE AND WERE REALLY UPSET WHEN SHE TOLD THEM AT REQUEST NO LABS OR EVEN A URINE WERE DONE AS IT AS THE KETONES IN THE URINE THAT MADE THE DX DEFINATE AS WE KNOW THE SUGAR MAY BE HIGH D/T INFECTION .   I THANK GOD MY SISTER HAD INSIGHT BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THE SUPPORT TO "ROCK THE BOAT" EVEN IF FOR THE BEST OUTCOME.
I LOOKED UP THE YOUNGEST CHILD TO HAVE DIABETES AS MY NEPHEW IS 6 YEARS OLD. I DO KNOW LAST YEAR HE DID NOT HAVE IT INDICATED PER PE DONE IN APRIL. I AM SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE READ THESE STORIES ABOUT THE PROGRESS WE HAVE MADE...IT IS AMAZING TO ME HOW YOUR WORLD CHANGES IN ONE DAY...THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR INFORMATION

[brandi246]

I am 36 yrs old and was diagnosed at 9 months old with juvenille diabetes. In 1973, I was the youngest diagnosed, in Ohio, that I know of,or as told to my parents at that time. I developed hypothyroid disease at 7 yrs old and diagnosed when I was 8 yrs old. I began wearing the insulin pump in 1996, after being sick of taking 6-8 shots of insulin per day. Today, in 2009, I'm in good health with minimal diabetic complications. I was soo happy to see this sight and hear people discussing this subject.

[myself486]

Mu son was diagnosed with type 1 juvenille diabetes at age of 5 weeks but we believe he was born with it at birth because his blood sugar was very low and at age of 5 weeks he was diagnosed with type 1 juvenile diabetes. He is now 9 years old.

[myself486]

My son was born with a low sugar and the doctors were well aware that something was not going accordingly. He stayed in the hospital initially7=8 days which should have been a warning sign and a great indicator. He was released and was having a lot of symptoms that mirrored Type 1 Juvenille symptoms. We kept going back to the hospital and even though we insisted something was wrong and specifically asked the doctor who delivered him when we went to the clinic for baby checkups and my wife to be checked up and the fact that my son didn't feel well the doctor was more concerned about birth control for some apparent reason and he worked in a Christian hospital. My son was finally after many trips to the hospital in very grave health and we insisted that he be hospitalized. The PA who admitted him didn't even come back to see him that night even though my son was suffering and in a state of grave illness. He finally saw the doctor in the morning after the hospital staff wouldn't even do anything for my sons suffering or symptoms. The hospital could not get any blood for a blood test when they finally figured out that he was in despair. We drove our son 3 1-2 hours without the staff telling us our sons sugar was 1097 and when we arrived 1109. My son suffered a stroke and was in a coma for 3 days his brain had swelled. He was finally released he now has hypothyriodism and had celiac disease and is on blood pressure medice to protect his kidneys. These complications were accelerated do to the initial care he received. I am refered to above as myself486.

[ngray29]

It sometimes seems like my family is the only one going through this and it is a reminder that we are not alone, my son was diagnosed at age 2 and has had type 1 diabetes for almost 2 years without too much trouble until yesterday, yesterday his blood sugar went down to 22 and he lost consciousness a  couple times.  We were able to get it up before the ambulance arrived and decided to take him to an urgent care clinic, thinking he was out of the woods, on the way there his blood sugar went back down to 56 from 140 and he started nodding off again.  When we arrived at the urgent care they got him right in and called his endo who said to change his sliding scale for the morning and sent him home, we are now absolutely terrified of low blood sugars and wish we could switch endo's but his is the only pediatric endo in the area.

[brandi246]

Where do you live? I had a pediatric endo for 18 years and thought he was terrific. I'm from Canton, Ohio. One thing my mom would tell me is that you have to be persistent when you feel something isn't right with your child and their diabetes.( She was refering to how scared she was raising me as a diabetic diagnosed at 9 months). It can mean life and death.You sound like your child had a close-call. It can be too close for comfort when things arn't right with your childs insulin regimin. Please keep being a sqeeky wheel when it comes to your DR and your child. Keep the DR aware of ANY changes you notice and send blood sugars via email to have responses sent back for adjustments needed without making a DR's appointment. I practice this now in my 36th year of JD.Take Care!

[venustiana]

Hi, everybody. These are amazing stories. Made me think of my mom. I think she is the greatest mom in the world. When I was 17 months old I got very sick with a cold. Since I wasn't getting any better my parents took me to the pediatrician. As soon as she saw me she said follow me to the hospital. I was diagnosed with diabetes. At that time (1964) doctors didn't know much about juvenile diabetes so they treated me as an adult. After 2 months in the hospital they told my parents that they couldn't guarantee that I would make it to 5 yrs old, but if I did the average lifetime for me was 20 yrs. That had to be the hardest thing for my mom to hear. Well, I'm 46 yrs old now thanking God every day for every new day I get. Growing up my sugar  was always  out of control but I was very healthy. Doctors could not  understand. I had laser surgery back in 1991 for rethinopathy and my eyes are doing very well. Now, I'm ok but I was just diagnosed with celiac disease and gerd. So it's hard to find things to eat. No wheat, barley, pastas, caffeine, sugar fried and acidic foods. I also suffer of arthritis. But I still feel blessed by God. I try not to complain because I believe that things happen for a reason and there is always somebody in worst conditions. So everybody out there HANG IN THERE and try to have a positive attitude.oh, and have FAITH. (that's my secret formula)

[2monogenicmom]

I wonder how many of you who were diagnosed before the age of 1 have been checked for Neonatal Diabetes?  My son was diagnosed at the age of 4 months with Type 1 diabetes but we later found out he had Neonatal Diabetes caused by a genetic mutation of the KCNJ11 gene.  There are several genes that can cause this condition and many patients with this particular type of diabetes can now be treated with the pill glyburide instead of having to take insulin (although older patients may still have to take some insulin).  I think my daughter may be the youngest to start on glyburide as she took her first dose at 10 days old.  I know there is a little girl in Chicago that was diagnosed with diabetes at one week old and she was one of the first 5 patients in the U.S. to switch from insulin to the pills at the age of 6.  If you were diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes before the age of 1 year old, the AMA is now recommending that you be checked for the Monogenic type of diabetes.  Contact the University of Chicago or go to monogenicdiabetes.org for more information.

[2monogenicmom]

I have to edit my comment above.  The girl in Chicago was one month old, not one week old.

[thunderkiss65]

email me i am 13 and i had diabetes since i was 17 months old it stinks because when i get sick i end up inthe hospital with DKA (diabetic keytonacidosis) my email is provenzano.***@****

[aplumlee600]

I was diagnosed with Diabetes when i was 16 months old

[chantel1985]

I was diagnosed with diabetes when I was 9 months old also. I had been in a comma for 3 days and the doctors could not figure out what was wrong with me. They told my parents I had 24 hours left to live. My parents had a priest come in and read me my last rights. They were down to about 4 hours when a nurse came in to check my sugar. My mom asked what she was doing, and the nurse just happened to be in the wrong room. Luckely enough, she checked it and my sugar was at 1,542! Needless to say they gave me insulin and I turned out fine. At that time I was the youngest person to have diabetes in North Dakota. I have a 5 year old a 4 year old and pregnant with our third child. At this time none of our children have it.

[jbtehie]

These are very interesting posts.  I am at the opposite end of the scale. Like Mary Tyler Moore, I was diagnosed at age 30. It was obviously Type 1 because I had diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), and a glucose level of 858. I remember handing the clerk at the ER window my insurance card but nothing else for three days as I was going into a coma.  What maddens me is some of the medical profession does not know the difference between Type 1 and Type 2.  I had an endocrinologist who never listened, took away all the carbs and did not give me a sliding scale for insulin and I passed out in front of the fridge while trying to get a  glass of orange juice!  My dad had to call the paramedics. The doctor then told me I wasted $500 of my insurance deductible calling the paramedics. What a jerk.  I've had very good control since 1996 when I was diagnosed and have had no complications. Eyes and kidneys are perfect, as are feet.  But it's a constant burden and I can't even imagine having a child that young with it.  The youngest one I ever heard of was the son of Doug Melton, who is doing stem cell research at Harvard. His son was about 6 months old and he nearly died.  He's now doing very well. Both of Melton's kids have it.

[ForJoy]

My daughter was born on 9/3/73 and went into a diabetic coma at 8 weeks old.  We took her to Children's Hospital Los Angeles where after putting her through many tests, including a spinal tap, they diagnosed her with type 1 diabetes.  The doctors told me at that time that she was the youngest diabetic in medical history.  She was written up in the medical journals at that time.  It was later determined that it was a result of a birth defect, her pancreas was half the size of a normal one.

[Ange138]

My daughter is 16 months old and was just diagnosed ith type 1 diabetes. She showed symptoms for a little over a month before she was finally tested because there was always something to explain her symptoms away! Good news is she is adjusting beautifully as she has alays been on a healthy diet and tight schedule

[Peotry]

I was 2 when i got diabetes and a year ago i meet twins that were born with it

[chager]

I also have wondered about the youngest diagnosed.  I was diagnosed at 9 months old in 1967 in Louisiana.  I have been on the pump for 12 years and haven't looked back-I am healthy and strong and consider myself lucky to have been diagnosed so young.  I never had to struggle with changing diet and life patterns; I only know this life.
My mom tells stories of glass shots, reusable needles and doing urine tests from a diaper.  The 1960's diabetic care was good but it is so great now.
I wish good health to all diabetics and that it is only a thing to manage.
Be well.

[blessedDM1]

I was diagnosed in 1982 at the age of 10 months. My younger sister was also diagnosed just after she turned 1. My parents knew exactly what was wrong with her because of her symptoms. Yet our older sister is now 34 and doesn't have diabetes. I am almost 30 and I am healthy. I have had a pump for 11 years and I love it. My teenage years were rough and I didn't take care of myself but now I am a nurse and I am fortunate to have good health. My advice is to choose good foods, exercise, and get in with a endocrinologist that you work well with. I have also recently been diagnosed with a hypothyroid and low vit D level and have to take meds for them. Thanks for sharing your stories they are all very interesting to hear about.

[DStabile82]

I was just informed by my father that in Feb. 1983, when I was diagnosed at 10 months old, they were told that I was the youngest juvenile diagnosis in the United States (at the time) and the second youngest in the world. Now I am 30 and entering into the medical profession as a DIABETES EDUCATOR, and I can tell you that babies are diagnosed within the first month sometimes if there is a family history and bloodwork to match.

[pbhale]

I was diagnosed at age 11 months in 1970, I am now 41 years old!

[Skigirl77]

My cousin is the youngest. She was diagnosed in 1964 when she was four days old. Her brother was 10 days old in 1970 when he was diagnosed.

[DublinMom]

Hi,

Just found this forum I live in Ureland so we use different terms for highs & lows and also different types of I sulin from what I can see on here. Our 5 year old son was diagnosed last Mat when he was 4. Our daily routine has changed so much since then and we are still having lots of highs and lows. We are hoping to get a pump this year as there us a waiting list here in Ireland fir pumps but fingers crossed we get one soon U have been told they are the way to go :-)