family history of type 1 diabetes

Hi, my sister has type 1 diabetes. I am aware of how serious this condition is and how it can affect a person's life. That is why I am very concerned about my son. I fear that he might have inherited type 1 diabetes. No one else in our family has it and that is what makes me worry. Based on our family history of type 1 diabetes I was wondering if you could tell me what are the chances for my two year son to develop this condition?

Hi, I can understand that you are worried for your son, especially because you are aware of the seriousness of the condition such as type one diabetes. I can tell you that there are great chances that you have nothing to worry about, besides your family history of type 1 diabetes. You see, this is still a somewhat mysterious condition that the scientists have not completely figured out. It is true that genes pay a role in the development of type one diabetes, but there is much more to it. It is thought that besides the genes, an environmental trigger factor is needed for the illness to occur. Even if both parents have type 1 diabetes there is only twenty percent chances that a child will develop the same condition. And since there is only your sister's case in your family I would say that your son's chances of developing type one diabetes are very minimal.