Research into preventing and/or curing diabetes is ongoing. Current prevention trials involve treating close relatives of people with diabetes to see if certain medicines can prevent diabetes in those at higher risk of developing it.
Currently, the only known ?cure? for type 1 diabetes is a pancreas transplant; however, such a surgery brings with it serious risks to a patient?s health. Transplant patients must take powerful drugs for the rest of their lives. These drugs suppress their immune system, so that their body won?t reject the transplant.
Having a suppressed immune
system leaves the body with very little protection from
other diseases, so pancreas transplants are not the answer.
Researchers are also experimenting with transplanting just
the beta cells. This treatment, though promising in theory,
has not yet been successful in the long term.
Although, there is no cure for diabetes, advances in
diabetes treatment are being made all the time. The Diabetes
Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) and other studies
show that people can and do live healthy and happy lives
with diabetes.
If your child has type 2 diabetes, it may be possible for
him to stop taking medicine one day. Some people with type 2
diabetes are able to manage diabetes by treating it with
exercise and careful meal planning. But this is not a cure.
Careful meal planning and exercise may help children with
type 1 diabetes reduce the amount of insulin they take, stay
within their target range, and feel better.
Good diabetes care can be complicated and adjusting to
lifestyle change can be difficult. But the results?a healthy,
long life for your child?are worth it.
Not all kids get type 1 diabetes. These days, more and more
kids are being diagnosed with type 2. Download Kids and Type
2 Diabetes to learn more about how you can gain control over
your diabetes.
(from American Diabetes
Association)
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