Experts recommend systematic Type 1 diabetes screening for children

An international team of experts has published a consensus paper in the journal Diabetologia recommending population-wide screening for Type 1 diabetes in children. The goal is to identify the disease in its early stages, before clinical symptoms appear, to reduce the risk of severe metabolic complications such as diabetic ketoacidosis.

The proposed screening model involves a staggered testing approach. Initial examinations are recommended for children between the ages of two and four. If results are negative, follow-up tests are suggested at ages six to eight, with a final assessment between ages 10 and 15. Diagnosis is based on detecting islet autoantibodies in the blood; the presence of two or more types of these antibodies indicates the early stages of the disease.

Early detection allows for regular monitoring, timely outpatient insulin treatment, and the potential use of disease-modifying therapies to delay the clinical onset of the condition. This approach also provides families with more time to prepare for the management of the disease.