2 Uncommon and Rare Types of Diabetes

By TGP / Categories: Diabetes

Let’s not sugarcoat here: diabetes is one of the fastest growing diseases in the entire world. The burden of diabetes is increasing worldwide and specifically more so in developing countries. Although there is good evidence that a large proportion of cases of diabetes can be prevented by a healthy diet, regular physical activity, weight consciousness and of course maintenance of medicine for diabetes. Ignorance is bliss but never when it comes to you or your loved ones health so invest more time and learn more about this aggressively rampant disease.

In addition to Type 1, Type 2 and gestational diabetes, there are a range of other rare and uncommon types which are just as important to know about. It’s essential to unravel and enlighten yourselves with these because there had been cases of misdiagnosis which leads to delays in getting the right treatment. Read on and find out the other forms of diabetes:

MODY (Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young)

This rare form of disease runs strongly in families. MODY is intensely different from type 1 and 2 diabetes because it is caused by a mutation or change in a single gene. If a parent has a gene mutation, any child they have will inherit 50% from them. If a child does inherit the mutation they are likely to develop MODY before they turn 25 regardless of their weight, lifestyle, and ethnic group etc.

All types of MODY carry a risk of the long-term complications of diabetes, therefore following a healthy diet and physically being fit and active helps maintain good blood glucose and cholesterol levels which will reduce the risk of complications. Testing for this type of diabetes involves having blood taken for pancreatic antibodies and blood or urine tests. It’s important to know more about MODY because misdiagnosis for a different type of diabetes will really delay the time for any person to get the right treatment especially because Insulin is not one of the medications.

Neonatal Diabetes

Neonatal diabetes is another rare form of diabetes. It is quite different from Type 1 diabetes because it’s not an autoimmune condition. Autoimmune means the body has destroyed its insulin producing cells. Insulin production is affected by genes deterring and this is the main cause of neonatal diabetes. If the production of insulin is tampered the levels of blood glucose in the body will inexplicably raise up.

Those with neonatal diabetes are diagnosed under the age of 6 months. This is where it’s different from Type 1 because Type 1 doesn’t affect anyone under 6 months. Also, about 20% of people with neonatal diabetes have developmental delay like muscle weakness, learning difficulties and epilepsy. Genetic testing for neonatal diabetes is offered free of charge for all people diagnosed with diabetes before 9 months of age. So if you know anyone whose child was diagnosed with diabetes before they were 6 months old ask them to let their baby take a neonatal diabetes test.

To effectively empower diabetes patients, nutrition professionals and doctors must recognize the signs, symptoms and classifications of the different types of diabetes and also to treat the patients correctly and adequately. Learning more about this disease will help you better understand the necessary actions you should take.

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