Type 1 Diabetes vs. Type 2 Diabetes

I belong to a “Parents of Type 1 Diabetes” Facebook page –  it’s a page for parents to get advice and support, or share stories of successes and rough days.  One of the things I have noticed is that many parents have been upset by the recent use of Diabetes as a punchline for jokes on several TV shows – especially with Halloween coming up.  While I have to admit, I did not actually notice those jokes until they were mentioned on the FB page, but I know there was a lot of frustration about how there was no clarification between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes - most of the jokes were about how a person can get "diabetes from sugar".   If you don’t have a T1D child, you probably don’t even notice – but those with T1Ds are very quick to notice the difference.

I know before Savanna was diagnosed, I had no idea what the differences between Type 1 Diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes were.  I assumed they were both the same and that my child would live a life of restricted eating her entire life.  But, I quickly learned there were some big differences.  Taken from multiple sources online, here is a summary of how Type 1 Diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes differ:

Type 1 Diabetes	Type 2 Diabetes
Most with T1D are diagnosed in childhood or young adulthood.	Most with T2D are diagnosed in adulthood, though an increasing number of children are being diagnosed
In people with T1D, the pancreas stops producing insulin (with no known reason) – the body is unable to break down foods to convert to energy and there can be a buildup of glucose in the bloodstream.  Injection shots and/or the insulin pump serve as the body’s pancreas to deliver insulin.	In people with T2D, the body still produces insulin, but may not produce enough to meet the needs of sugar intake.  Pills or insulin shots aid the pancreas by providing the additional insulin needed to breakdown food.
T1D cannot be prevented – there is no known cause for why the pancreas stops producing insulin.	T2D can be prevented or delayed with healthy lifestyle choices – including diet and exercise
T1Ds can eat anything (in moderation, like all of us) – as long as they check their blood sugar and get insulin for what they are eating, all foods are allowed	The best way to manage, prevent, or delay T2D is to maintain a healthy, low carb diet
T1D is treated with insulin injections or the insulin pump and cannot be controlled without taking insulin	T2D is usually treated, to start, without medication (though some T2Ds may require a pill or insulin shots).  It is also sometimes possible for T2D to come off of diabetes medication

  

I’m sure there are other minor differences, but the above were the ones I thought worth pointing out. 

Unless you have a child, spouse, relative, etc. with Type 1 Diabetes, these differences probably don’t even register on your radar – and why should they?  But hopefully, with a little bit of education, those without loved ones with Type 1 Diabetes will recognize that there is a difference – in symptoms, in treatment, and way of living with the disease.  

On another note, I received an interesting email from the JDRF today about a significant milestone in Diabetes research. Today, for the first time ever, a person with Type 1 Diabetes was implanted with an experimental encapsulated cell therapy product – you can read the entire article here, but basically this could potentially mean a life of no shots, no sugar highs, lows, finger sticks, and so much more!  As a parent of a T1D, it is very exciting and hopeful that the *cure* we are working towards may very well be so much closer than we thought!

Until there is a cure…xoxo