HARRISBURG – Legislation bringing greater awareness to type 1 diabetes has been signed into law by the governor. Type 1 diabetes is a disorder in which the pancreas shuts down, failing to provide insulin that the body needs to regulate blood glucose. Those with type 1 diabetes are dependent on pharmaceutically-produced insulin for life. For many, the signs of type 1 diabetes can go unnoticed for long periods of time resulting in diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA, leading to serious health complications that may even be fatal. The most common age range for a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes is between 6-16. Under House Bill 2185, now Act 117, all parents and guardians of students would be required to receive a fact sheet from their child’s school outlining the warning signs of the disease. Early detection of the common symptoms can prevent serious health complications.
