Diabetes – Are Your Children at Risk?

Would you know if your children were at risk for diabetes? How about you? Do you have any idea whether you are at risk?
Unfortunately for my family, the answer to both of these questions is yes. I come from a family with a history of diabetes and was myself diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes in two out of three of my pregnancies. As a result I go for regular testing and will have my biological children monitored in the future as well.
The answer is not so clear for my adopted child. We have no genetic medical information for her. I’m concerned for her, but perhaps not worried enough to schedule a doctors appointment and lab testing session at this time in the absence of diabetes symptoms.
What I was happy to do, however, was check out the home-use “Diabetes Risk Assessment” kit from Biosafe. This simple to use and effective kit gives you the tools to check fasting (early morning is a good time to check) blood sugar levels, which are a good predictor of diabetes. The test works firstly at home, by placing a drop of blood on a test sheet, and then you mail in your card for confirmation of the results. It’s a little unpleasant to prick a finger, but I can assure you this is a lot more pleasant that a complete glucose tolerance work up with multiple needle draws and sugar solutions to drink.
If your results do indicate some risk, then you can schedule follow up testing with your physician.
This test is not intended to replace a visit to your doctor. In our case it was a handy thing for peace of mind. If you have a history of diabetes in your family, or have a child who’s genetic background is unknown to you, it is definitely worth checking out. The kit only costs $24.95 and is approved by the FDA and is recognized by many insurance plans as reimbursable. Buy yours directly from Biosafe.