Second adult child, just diagnosed

I’m kinda in shock. I’m a parent of an adult child who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was 17. Twenty years later, he’s doing really, really well.

But today, I just learned his younger brother, now 33 years old, was just diagnosed as well with diabetes type 1. I’m in shock. I thought type 1 was not hereditary. And the chances of my 2 sons both having DT1 seems so beyond what I ever would have thought possible. Not to mention being diagnosed at this age.

But here we are. My eldest jumped right in by his younger brother’s side, and no question, us all having been here before is immensely helpful – and normalizing to my newly-diagnosed son.

But it has still landed like a ton of bricks. While being totally supportive in my conduct with my kids, on my own, I’m kinda reeling.

Has anyone else been through this?

@Sophster hello. I am sorry to hear about this news. Yes we have members with multiple children being diagnosed with T1. Last time I looked it’s somewhere between 10 and 50 to 1 so while uncommon, it is not impossible.

I am glad to hear your sons are helping each other out, it’s a testament to how they were brought up.

We’re here if you need to talk.

Thanks for the reply Joe. When my first child was diagnosed 20 years ago, all my reading then suggested heredity did not play a role. I’ve done some more reading, and I’m coming up with different stats - a range as you say. But yes, there does seem to be a risk factor if an immediate family member has DT1.

Thanks for your kind words of support:)

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