Screening for Type 1 Diabetes

Thanks to 20 years of research, screening for type 1 diabetes now allows us to detect its earliest stages through autoantibodies.

Regardless of whether type 1 diabetes runs in your family or not, you should consider having your children and potentially older family members screened through a simple blood test.

In fact, about 90 percent of people with type 1 diabetes have no family history of the disease—and the rates of type 1 diabetes are rising—which means getting screened is worthwhile for any family.

What are Autoantibodies?

When your immune system starts attacking your own body, your body produces specific autoantibodies depending on what’s being attacked.

There are five types of autoantibodies related to type 1 diabetes that result from this attack—and we can detect those autoantibodies through a simple blood test.

Why Screening for Type 1 Diabetes Matters

Until recently, screening for type 1 diabetes wasn’t possible; detection required blood sugar checks or waiting for symptoms.

Those signs—e.g., constant thirst and frequent urination, weight loss, being tired all the time—only develop when your blood sugar levels have been high (or dangerously high) for weeks.

Through screening for autoantibodies, you may be able to identify the early development of type 1 diabetes long before blood sugar levels rise and symptoms develop.

What Are the Benefits of Screening for Type 1 Diabetes?

Benefits of screening for type 1 diabetes include:

• Detecting type 1 diabetes early reduces the likelihood of diabetic ketoacidosis and hospitalization at diagnosis
• Opportunities to participate in clinical trials to prevent or delay the onset of type 1 diabetes for years after screening
• Knowing your results gives you peace of mind and time to prepare

Consider screening your children and other family members today!

For more information about the importance of recognizing the symptoms of type 1 and educating others to prevent DKA and other complications, explore our Warning Signs Awareness Campaign.