Wariner warns that currently there is no way to prepare for or prevent the unwelcome appearance of juvenile diabetes. It's difficult, it's upsetting, it's dangerous, and once it shows up it doesn't go away. Robert Goldstein, chief scientific officer at the JDRF in New York, hopes to increase understanding of the seriousness of the condition. There are several myths about Type 1 diabetes. The most common is that it only affects older, overweight people and is easily treated.
People think that insulin replacement solves the problem.
The fact is that since Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, it continues to attack other organs in the body even if we replace the insulin no longer created by the pancreas. But the emotional burden is often harder to bear than the unrelenting and invasive treatments. Kids want to be normal. And these kids who have to carry syringes at school are often subjected to rules and procedures that single them out even more. Parents' constant concerns also take their toll.