by Doreen Martel

Created on: February 06, 2009   Last Updated: February 10, 2012

Type 1 diabetes is a disease that is caused by the bodies failure to produce insulin (specifically the pancreas), which prevents other cells in the body from getting the sugar they need and causing sugar to build up in the blood.

Most commonly known as "Juvenile Diabetes" (since it typically starts in childhood), it is a disease with no known cure, though people live very long and healthy lives with diabetes.

• About 5% to 10% of people with diabetes have Type 1 diabetes

• About 1 in every 400 children and adolescents has Type 1 diabetes.

• Type 1 diabetes most often develops in girls when they reach 10 to 12 years of age and in boys when they reach 12 to 14 years of age.

• The incidence of type 1 diabetes seems to be increasing especially in children from birth to age 4.

• White people have a higher rate of type 1 diabetes than other racial groups.

While it is true that some people have a predisposition to developing diabetes (because a parent, brother or sister has it), most people who develop type 1 Diabetes have no family history of the disease.

Symptoms of type 1 diabetes are:

1. Being very thirsty

2. Urinating a lot

3. Losing weight without trying

4. Being hungrier than usual (sometimes)

Often symptoms appear over a few days or weeks and may be more noticeable after an illness, such as the flu. Unfortunately, they may think that the diabetes symptoms are because of the flu, and may not seek medical care.

Waiting too long to get proper medical care may result in diabetic ketoacidosis. Symptoms of this problem include:

• Flushed, hot, dry skin 2. Not feeling hungry 3. Belly pain 4. Vomiting 5. A strong, fruity breath odor 6. Fast and shallow breathing 7. Restlessness, drowsiness, or trouble waking up 8. Confusion

Type 1 diabetes is caused by the body's immune system destroying beta cells which produces insulin resulting in the person not being able to create their own supply of insulin to keep the body healthy. Enteroviruses, such as coxsackie viruses and echoviruses, which live in the intestines of humans and other animals, may contribute to the possibility of developing Type 1 diabetes.

If not controlled, diabetes can cause complications that can affect nearly every organ in the body, including:

The heart and blood vessels: Many studies show that controlling diabetes can prevent or stop the progression of heart and blood vessel disease in diabetics. Left uncontrolled, blood vessel damage can lead

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