Experts call for routine diabetes screening in children
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An international team of experts proposed systematic screening of all children for type 1 diabetes, recommending tests between ages 2 to 15.
The group published guidelines in Diabetologia detailing how to test children and confirm diagnoses, aiming to identify the condition before symptoms develop and reduce health risks. Type 1 diabetes happens when the body’s immune system attacks cells in the pancreas, often starting long before anyone notices a problem, but blood tests can detect early signs.
Detecting type 1 diabetes early offers several benefits. Regular monitoring after an early diagnosis can lower the risk of a dangerous complication called diabetic ketoacidosis, and allows for quicker treatment with insulin. Early detection also gives families time to adjust to managing the condition. Researchers believe screening may also allow for treatments that could slow the disease’s progress.
The experts emphasize that screening shouldn't focus only on children with a family history of diabetes, because more than 85% of those newly diagnosed have no known relatives with the condition. They suggest initial screening between ages 2 and 4, with follow-up tests between 6 to 8 and again between 10 to 15, aligning with periods when the first signs of the disease frequently appear.
Twenty professional and patient organizations, including the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, support these recommendations.
