Diabetes and ASD

[Pocket86]

I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 2. I was diagnosed with aspergers just a couple months ago. I just recently read an article about the link between ASD and the immune system. T1D is also linked to the immune system. I am now wondering is ASD and T1D may be linked. Does anyone have any insight to this? If you have any research, please share it. Thanks!

 

[AsheSkyler]

That's in line with my husband's diagnosis, it was suggested a virus or something made him T1. But, he ain't on the spectrum. I haven't read anything about diabetes being linked to autism, but I have heard of a few struggles of diabetic autistics trying to get used to the needles and food issues, and I do know some autistic folk are prone to other auto-immune issues that lead to food trouble. There's a lady around here who has hypoglycemia. I've had some odd issues with sugar, but haven't yet gritted my teeth for a months-long war with doctors to get something diagnosed with a simple blood test again. A link or shared factor sounds plausible and worth checking in to.

This article seems to suggest a greater occurrence of autism with T1 than regular people: Type 1 Diabetes and Autism
And this one was interesting: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111019184622.htm

And then I found another article panicking about the epidemic of diabetes and autism, and then another one blaming expecting mothers for autism and diabetes, and then I got grumpy and stopped clicking links.

 

[Kari Suttle]

I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 2. I was diagnosed with aspergers just a couple months ago. I just recently read an article about the link between ASD and the immune system. T1D is also linked to the immune system. I am now wondering is ASD and T1D may be linked. Does anyone have any insight to this? If you have any research, please share it. Thanks!

I do not think they are linked. Both can share a similar family history component, but other than that i do not believe they are linked at all. T1D is caused by the immune system attacking the pancreas and destroying it while from what i've experienced and googled, autism appears to be a neurobiological developmental disorder. A cause is not yet known but it is of my opinion that, because its a developmental disorder and developmental to me equals the brain, it probably has its roots in the womb or shortly after birth. There was a thread on here about aspies with premature and/or complicated births and a lot of posts were on it; i would wonder if that can cause it. I was born premature and in the hospital with issues for a long while after i was born.