Infection- and trauma-related risk factors

Some experts believe that a trauma such as a car crash or a viral infection like mumps can trigger the onset of Type 1 diabetes. Such events increase the body's insulin requirement and strain the insulin production machinery if it is being destroyed by a malfunctioning immune system. As the demands on the body increase, they are thought to tip the body into diabetes without actually being a "cause" of the disease.

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It is also theorized that a link exists between coxsackie virus, which causes meningitis, and type 1 diabetes, though the connection is unclear. Scientists do have some significant evidence that mumps does not trigger diabetes, however. A Maryland study showed that despite a great decline in mumps cases after the mumps vaccine was introduced 30 years ago, the incidence of type 1 diabetes did not change.

Some scientists believe early diet may play a role, since children who have developed type 1 diabetes are less apt to have been breastfed for a prolonged period. While some studies have pointed to exposure to cow's milk as a factor, much remains to be learned about its importance. To be prudent, mothers of infants at heightened risk of developing diabetes may want to breastfeed as long as possible and use cow's milk in moderation after the baby is weaned.