New technology could mean a new life for children with type 1 diabetes

[Northerner]

Continuous glucose monitors can mean new-found freedom from constant blood tests and the danger of strokes or coma.

George Dove is 15. He is confident, articulate, reasonably nice to his sister Libby, 13, and hopes to become an engineer. He also appears deceptively healthy. However, without constant vigilance, within 10 years he could suffer blindness, amputation, kidney failure or a stroke.

George is one of thousands of young people – including Sam Webb, the son of Justin Webb, presenter of BBC Radio 4's Today programme – who have incurable type 1 (T1) diabetes, described by Karen Addington, chief executive of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), as "a condition that is still one of Britain's best-kept secrets".

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/jul/28/cgm-glucose-monitors-type-1-diabetes

Not exactly 'new' technology'...

 

[DeusXM]

Also yet another one of those articles that vaguely suggests T1 magically goes away on your 18th birthday....

 

[trophywench]

LOL - how many tests do we do between the age of 18 and death then?

Let's see - assume the lifespan is three score years and ten. 70 less 18 = 52. 52 x 365 = 18,980 plus 13 leap year days, total days = 18,993.

What shall we say - 6 tests a day? 6 x 18,993 - that's 113,958.

And that's not allowing any extra for illness or pregnancy, stress or menstruation, hypos or driving.

But we are adults so I guess we all need to manage our diabetes in our own time and not whinge about it!

I'd rather like to meet that teacher, wouldn't you?

 

[Lauras87]

One in 450 children is affected by the disease, which claims almost one child's life a month.

😱 Excuse me???? I didn't know being diagnosed was a death sentence

@trophywench that is some math!!!

 

[Pumper_Sue]

One in 450 children is affected by the disease, which claims almost one child's life a month.

😱 Excuse me???? I didn't know being diagnosed was a death sentenc!!!

Well it is if it's mismanaged or left undiagnosed. There's reports every week in the paper about someone dying from diabetes. You read between the lines and it's mismanagement.

 

[Lauras87]

Well it is if it's mismanaged or left undiagnosed. There's reports every week in the paper about someone dying from diabetes. You read between the lines and it's mismanagement.

I know it is but from recent media coverage of T1, maybe the wording could of been a little better?

 

[trophywench]

mmmm, Sue - 'Dead in Bed' syndrome though.

May only happen as rarely as apparently healthy, fit teenagers sans diabetes or anything else, have sudden heart failure and die on the spot - but it does definitely happen, despite the best efforts of everyone.

To that degree, other than mismanagement, uncaringly or accidentally, being born is a Death Sentence on it's own !