DR ELLIE CANNON: Did the Covid jab give my daughter type 1 diabetes?

My 12-year-old girl was diagnosed pinch type 1 diabetes weeks aft her Covid vaccine. Her expert says location has been a immense emergence successful puerility cases of nan information since nan pandemic. Could nan vaccines beryllium to blame?

Type 1 glucosuria tends to commencement successful childhood, but it is existent that rates person changeable up since nan pandemic.

People pinch nan information cannot ­produce capable of nan hormone insulin to support their humor sweetener levels successful check. This is because their immune strategy mistakenly destroys insulin-producing cells successful nan pancreas.

Left unchecked, nan precocious humor sweetener levels tin lead to superior problems specified arsenic blindness, bosom illness and nonaccomplishment of limbs.

For this reason, patients trust connected regular insulin jabs to support their humor sweetener astatine a patient level.

About 450,000 group successful nan UK person type 1 glucosuria and doctors are still unsure what causes it.

We person a greater knowing of type 2 glucosuria – affecting astir 5 cardinal group successful nan UK – which is caused by obesity, mediocre fare and a deficiency of exercise.

Researchers began to announcement a emergence successful type 1 glucosuria successful children early successful nan pandemic. Within a year, location was a 14 per cent summation successful diagnoses, compared to earlier Covid. And, 2 years in, nan complaint was up by astir a 3rd from pre-pandemic times.

While researchers person not concluded what is down this rise, location are a number of compelling theories. It’s imaginable these children sewage Covid, and their immune systems overreacted, starring to nan demolition of their insulin-­producing pancreas cells.

Another mentation is that location are definite – chartless – germs that astir children prime up successful their early years, which thief defender against conditions for illustration diabetes.

Some researchers reason that, owed to lockdowns and societal ­distancing measures, immoderate did not prime these up, expanding their consequence of diabetes.

Further investigation is needed earlier patient conclusions tin beryllium made, but it is highly improbable Covid vaccines are to blasted for nan emergence successful type 1 diabetes.

This is because nan emergence successful ­diagnoses began earlier astir children received nan vaccine. Those aged betwixt 12 and 15 were not offered nan jab until nan extremity of 2021. Meanwhile 5 to 11-year-olds did not person it until midway done 2022.

There has besides been nary ­evidence that vaccinated adults were much apt to get diabetes.

Whatever nan cause, a type 1 glucosuria test tin beryllium hard. Charities, specified arsenic Diabetes UK, tin supply ­support and advice.

I’m 64 and my hairsbreadth has started to bladed astatine an alarming rate. My GP says I’m different patient and it’s improbable to beryllium owed to immoderate medicines I’m taking. Do you deliberation HRT could help?

Hair nonaccomplishment is distressing nary ­matter what property aliases gender you are – and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) could help.

This is because hairsbreadth thinning is simply a communal menopausal ­symptom, and is linked to nan autumn successful nan female hormone ­oestrogen. HRT – which boosts levels – helps slow hairsbreadth loss. Some women moreover study hairsbreadth regrowth, though patients shouldn’t expect this.

A GP tin prescribe HRT aft appraisal to spot if it is nan champion people of action. You would only beryllium offered it if you were perimenopausal aliases menopausal.

Older women are sometimes cautioned against taking HRT as, complete property 60, nan risks – including a mini accrued chance of cancer – whitethorn commencement to outweigh nan benefits.

The menopause is not nan only origin of hairsbreadth nonaccomplishment successful women.

Female-pattern hairsbreadth loss, wherever nan hairsbreadth thins complete time, tin besides strike. It tends to beryllium familial but you tin person it moreover if your parents didn’t.

Doctors tin prescribe a lotion, minoxidil, to dainty it, which tin slow and moreover reverse hairsbreadth loss.

I’ve been diagnosed pinch a familial unwellness I’d ne'er heard of earlier called AATD that tin harm your lungs and liver. I’m worried that my boy could beryllium successful threat too.

Do you person much ­information astir nan condition?

AATD, aliases alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency, is simply a communal familial information affecting astir 22,000 group successful nan UK.

It causes lung and liver ­problems, which tin scope from mild to life-threatening.

Patients often first suffer breathlessness and wheezing arsenic adults. This is typically caused by chronic obstructive pulmonary illness (COPD) often associated pinch smoking aliases aged age.

People tin besides get liver ­cirrhosis – scarring – and moreover liver cancer. This means, patients are intimately monitored.

Those pinch AATD who smoke, portion aliases are obese are much apt to beryllium severely affected, truthful avoiding these habits is crucial.

Screening family members for AATD is besides important. This includes children and siblings. This tin beryllium done done a humor trial carried retired by a GP.

Some group transportation nan faulty cistron linked to AATD but don’t person nan illness, meaning they tin walk it connected to their children without realising it.

The kindness Asthma and Lung UK supports group pinch AATD arsenic does nan British Liver Trust.

WHAT GP ‘WORK TO RULE’WILL MEAN FOR PATIENTS

You will undoubtedly person seen nan headlines that GPs person launched business action, complete a statement dispute, which is expected to past for respective months.

Family doctors are not going connected onslaught – but they will beryllium choosing betwixt a number of protestation measures, including limiting nan number of appointments they transportation retired to 25 a day, a move known arsenic ‘work to rule’.

However, patients who judge they request to spot their GP should still petition an appointment. Not each GPs are taking portion successful nan protest, truthful it’s imaginable your section room whitethorn beryllium unaffected.

All practices will still beryllium unfastened betwixt 8am and 6.30pm, Monday to Friday. GPs will measure each requests and prioritise those astir successful need. Anyone who has imaginable crab symptoms will beryllium seen urgently.

 Asda helping to spot rima cancer

The supermarket isn’t usually nan spot you’d expect to beryllium reminded astir nan consequence of rima cancer, but that’s precisely what Asda has decided to do.

From this month, its own-brand oral hygiene products – specified arsenic toothpaste and mouthwash – will database nan symptoms. 

These see achromatic aliases reddish patches successful nan rima which do not heal wrong 3 weeks, a lump aliases swelling successful nan mouth, jaw aliases cervix that lasts for much than 3 weeks, and trouble swallowing, chewing aliases moving nan jaw aliases tongue.

The campaign, successful business pinch nan NHS, couldn’t travel astatine a much important time.

Mouth cases are often being picked up excessively precocious owed to nan shortage of dentists, truthful I’m pleased Asda has decided to thief tackle this issue.

And if you person immoderate of nan symptoms listed, please spot your GP urgently.

Do you person a mobility for Dr Ellie Cannon? Email DrEllie@mailonsunday.co.uk. Dr Cannon cannot participate into individual correspondence and her replies should beryllium taken successful a wide context.