Doctors are seeing an alarming rise in the number of Type 1 diabetes cases across the nation. Doctors have some theories but they don't know exactly what is behind the spike.
Amelie O'Connor is a normal kid in every way but one, she has Type 1 diabetes.
"You have this organ in your body called the pancreas that every time you eat gives you insulin and mine just stopped working so I need special help for that," Amelie says.
Amelie is not alone. She is among a growing number of young people being diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.
"The latest report from the CDC shows that within the last 10 years, we have seen 23 percent increase in the Type 1 Diabetic population in the younger age," says Cleveland Clinic Dr. Betul Hatipoglu.
What's frightening is doctors don't know why.
"Of course, there is a genetic predisposition, but the rise is in many different countries, so genes are not enough to explain this increase," says Dr. Hatipoglu.
There are several theories for the spike including possible environmental causes such as our clean environment that doesn't expose kids to germs that helps their immune system mature, too much processed food eaten by kids or pregnant mothers, and kids maturing too fast.
The American Diabetes Association says that Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in kids and young adults.
Only five percent of people who have diabetes have Type 1.
(Information courtesy NBC News)
