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Type 1 diabetes can have a more severe impact when it affects young children, and researchers have now uncovered the reasons behind this phenomenon. This type of diabetes is caused by the immune system attacking cells in the pancreas that regulate blood sugar levels. A recent study has shown that the pancreas is still developing during childhood, especially in children under the age of seven, making it more susceptible to damage.
Gracie, an eight-year-old from Merseyside, experienced a sudden onset of type 1 diabetes in 2018. Starting with what seemed like a minor cold, her condition rapidly deteriorated. Her father, Gareth, described the diagnosis as life-changing, making even simple tasks much more challenging than before. Gracie’s family had to quickly adjust to monitoring her food and drink intake, checking blood sugar levels, and administering insulin to manage her condition.
The study, published in Science Advances, revealed that beta cells in the pancreas play a crucial role in the aggressiveness of type 1 diabetes in young children. In young individuals, these beta cells exist as small clusters or individual cells early on but develop into larger groups known as Islets of Langerhans as we age. The research also showed that when the immune system attacks a patient’s beta cells, those in small clusters are destroyed before they can mature, leading to a more severe form of the disease.
Dr. Sarah Richardson from the University of Exeter highlighted the importance of this finding in understanding why type 1 diabetes is more aggressive in children. She expressed optimism for the future of children diagnosed with the condition, mentioning the potential for early screening and new immunotherapy drugs like teplizumab to delay disease onset. The study was part of the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge, supported by organizations such as the Steve Morgan Foundation, Diabetes UK, and Breakthrough T1D, aiming to unravel the mysteries surrounding this autoimmune disease
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