Hi Gretchen!
I also have type 1 diabetes and have a SWCAH 2 year old daughter. Kate had a soft palate cleft to go along with the CAH. The first year was pretty tough between health issues and the palate repair. The second year wasn’t nearly as bad and we are keeping our fingers crossed that she’ll continue that trend. Ha- I say that a week after she’s had surgery for trigger thumbs (one of those random childhood things that happen) but overall things have been much easier for us. Just out of curiosity, when did your daughter start having health problems?
With type 1 diabetes, your immune system is overactive if anything. For some reason, your immune system sees the beta cells (aka those wonderful cells that produce insulin) as a threat and destroys them (I’d have to disagree with my immune system on that one!) It also put us at risk for other autoimmune diseases, such as Addison, lupus, and rhuematoid athritis.
And yes, all parents of a child with CAH are carriers of the disease. If you don’t mind me asking, when did you develop diabetes? Both my bother in law (a potential CAH carrier) and myself developed diabetes late (I was 17, he was 22) and I wondered if there was a link there. Isn’t it funny how we’re always trying to find connections between things!?
Good luck with your daugher, her health and her schooling!
MarthaF