New Research to Prevent Juvenile Diabetes

Nov. 12, 2007— -- When a child is diagnosed with juvenile diabetes, also known as Type 1 diabetes, the most serious form of the disease, routines and priorities change.

"From that moment on," said Ellen Gould, "it's part of every day." Gould, the mother of three children with juvenile diabetes, and her husband, Dave, said they were stunned when their first child was diagnosed with the disease.

"When Patrick was diagnosed, there was a real grieving period, a mourning period for us," said Dave Gould. "No child should ever have to live with this disease. It's an awful disease."

But the Goulds are past mourning now. The challenges are too real, and the need to keep up with all the tests, measurements and injections just too important to worry about feeling sorry about it, they said.

Patrick is 15. His brother Sam is 12. Their sister Sarah is 8. Every day, they each roll out the tiny packs they carry with them everywhere: needle sticks, blood sugar meters and injectable insulin. Their other siblings, who don't have diabetes, know the routine well and help their siblings prepare the shots and squeeze the blood and read the levels.

"What arm do you want to do?" Andrew asked his brother Sam.

Sam can't decide. They laugh. Finally, it's the left arm. They both count "Five seconds, one, two, three" as the insulin was delivered. Andrew spun around to play with his little sister, and Sam packed up his insulin needle.

To the outsider, it's not obvious that this is a family dealing with a life-threatening illness. The children play school sports, go on outings with friends, do chores and horseplay with the easy banter of siblings. And the family expresses hope.

"Great hope," said Ellen, looking toward her husband.

"Oh, yeah," he said. "I'm thoroughly convinced they will not have to live with this for the rest of their lives."

Medical science is moving so quickly and research advancing so rapidly, that Dave Gould believes there is strong reason to hope.

The Goulds are particularly optimistic about a groundbreaking national research study now under way that's focused on trying to stop Type 1 diabetes from developing in children. Children under the age of 5 are the group developing the disease the most rapidly.