had been a standard recommendation in past years, but has now been replaced with self blood glucose testing. Self monitoring of blood glucose levels uses a single drop of blood which is obtained with a finger stick, and placed on a chemically treated pad on a plastic strip; the color change of the chemically treated pad is compared to a color chart or "read" by a battery operated portable meter. Insulin must be given by injection, usually two or more times each day. Recently portable "insulin pumps" have been developed, which permit continuous administration of insulin, as well as additional amounts of insulin when needed to control the changes in blood sugar level that occurs after meals. Etiology --- The exact causes of Insulin-Dependent Diabetes are not known although most types of diabetes are known to have hereditary factors. Scientists believe that both heredity and environment may play important roles in the development of diabetes. Research suggests that certain viruses, in combination with genetic susceptibility and other unknown environmental factors, may trigger the onset of some types of this disorder. High levels of growth hormone in adolescents and adults under stress may also stimulate the production of glucose by the liver....
