From Toledo, Ohio, USA: What is the youngest a child can be
diagnosed with diabetes? Are there any early signs and symptoms
to watch for in a baby between 5 months and 2 years? This
question was referred to several members of the Diabetes Team,
who have each given an answer: Answer from Dr. O'Brien:There is
a benign transient form of hyperglycemia and glucosuria that may
occur in the newborn period that has been called
'pseudodiabetes.' It is not related to Type 1 diabetes. Type 1
Diabetes is very uncommon in the first two years of life. In a
recent multicenter study in Germany which involved over 1000
newborn infants who had either a mother or a father with Type 1
diabetes, only three developed clinical diabetes in the first
two years, the youngest being at 13 months of age. If neither
parent is affected, the incidence would be much lower still.
Autoantibodies (which indicated that the destructive immune
process had begun) were present several months before the
clinical onset. Signs of diabetes in infancy ar