Type1Screen

Type1Screen offers Australian & New Zealand residents screening for the early detection of type 1 diabetes. Type1Screen is proudly supported by JDRF Australia.

This involves a blood test at your nearest pathology centre. Early detection can prevent serious illness & improve long term prognosis. Australian and New Zealand residents, who have a family member living with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), are encouraged to find out more about Type1Screen. A simple blood test is all it takes to find out if you, or your child, at are increased risk of developing the condition. If you have a family history of T1D, when compared to the rest of the population, your risk of developing the condition is greater. Although there is currently no cure, early detection of T1D before symptoms present helps to prevent serious illness and provides options for intervention and prevention trials that may prevent or delay the onset of T1D.

20/02/2026

🤖Can AI Chatbots Help Families Manage Type 1 Diabetes?

A new study looked at the AI tool, ChatGPT, to see if it could support families living with . Researchers at the Montreal Children’s Hospital tested how well an AI chatbot answered real questions from parents and diabetes educators about caring for children with .

✨ What they found:
✅ ChatGPT gave mostly clear, easy-to-understand answers and encouraged families to stay in touch with their diabetes care team.
✅ It could be useful for quick information, translation, and 24/7 access to support.

⚠️ But some answers missed important child-specific details — like checking for ketones when blood sugars are high or adjusting carb amounts based on a child’s weight.

💬 The takeaway:
AI chatbots can be a helpful extra support tool, but they should never replace trusted medical advice. Healthcare providers and families need to work together to ensure these tools are used safely, accurately, and responsibly.

📖 The article is available online at: https://doi.org/10.2196/76986

14/02/2026

AID systems - aka or - automatically adjust based on continuous glucose monitoring ( ) readings. But do they really work better than standard diabetes care for children and young people?

A new review analysed 11 studies involving 901 young people (aged 6-18) using AIDs for an average of 7 months, compared to standard care (manual insulin pumps or injections).

The results (AIDs vs standard care):
✅ Time in target range (TIR) increased by an average of 11.5%
✅ HbA1c dropped by 0.41% (clinically meaningful)
✅ Night-time glucose control improved dramatically; nearly 20% more TIR!
✅ Less time in both highs AND lows
✅ No increase in dangerous side effects

The night-time win is BIG:
Parents often lose sleep worrying about overnight lows and highs. AIDs showed the biggest improvements during night-time hours compared to traditional insulin management.

What we still don't know:
Only 2 studies looked at quality of life, so we need more research on how AIDs affect daily wellbeing, stress, and mental health.

Bottom line:
AIDs appear to be highly effective at improving glucose management in young people with T1D versus standard treatment, especially overnight—offering real hope for better control and potentially more peace of mind for families.

Read more at https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2025.2740

09/02/2026

Could CGM detect coeliac disease early? 🔍

1 in 10 children with develop coeliac disease. This often goes undiagnosed for months or years, affecting growth and health.

New research analysed continuous glucose monitoring ( ) data from children before their coeliac diagnosis and found surprising results:

📉 Kids with undiagnosed coeliac had flatter blood glucose curves after meals; glucose didn't spike as high
🥞 This pattern was especially clear after breakfast
❌ They did NOT see more low blood sugars - "hypos"

Current guidelines say to look for increased lows as a coeliac warning sign. This study says that's the WRONG signal to look for.

CGM could potentially flag unusual meal patterns that warrant coeliac testing; identifying the condition months earlier than traditional screening.

Earlier diagnosis = starting a gluten-free diet sooner = preventing complications ✨ More research is needed, but this could transform how we screen for coelia
Read more at: https://doi.org/10.1515/jpem-2025-0302

05/02/2026

🧠🧬 Why are more children developing type 1 diabetes? A new Finnish study offers clues.

Type 1 diabetes is becoming more common worldwide—especially in children—and genetic traits cannot explain the rise.

Researchers in studied over 16,000 children with (and nearly 49,000 matched without the condition) diagnosed between 1990 and 2019. Using detailed address histories, they looked at where and when children lived before diagnosis.

🔍 What did they find?
They discovered those who developed were more likely to be diagnosed close together in both time and place—a pattern called spatiotemporal clustering. This was especially strong in children older than 6 years.

🌍 Why does this matter?
Clustering like this suggests factors—such as , seasonal exposures, or other local influences—may help trigger the condition in susceptible children. It adds weight to the theory isn’t caused by genetics alone.

👶 What’s new here?
Unlike most past studies, this one used complete residential histories, even looking at where children lived in their first year of life—a critical window for immune development.

➡️ The takeaway:
This large, high-quality study strengthens the case that play a role in type 1 diabetes development. The next step is figuring out what those triggers are and when they matter most—knowledge that could one day help prevent the disease.

💬 Understanding the “where and when” could be key to changing the future of type 1 diabetes.

02/02/2026

💙 Did you know your gut microbes (normal bacteria, viruses, and fungi living in your digestive system) make tiny molecules that may talk to the immune system?

A new study followed young children from 3 months to 3 years old to see how gut bacteria and the chemicals they produce change over time and relate to early immune markers linked to development.

Here’s what they found:

🌱 Gut bugs make special bile acid compounds — not just for digestion, but also as signalling molecules.

🧠 These compounds change as children grow and which bacteria live in the gut.

🧬 Some bacterial bile acid products were different in kids who later showed early immune changes linked with .

🧡 These molecules also seemed connected to how certain immune cells behaved — including cells that help balance versus regulation.

Why this matters:
It suggests that gut bacteria and what they produce in early life might play a role in shaping the immune system in ways that relate to risk — long before appear.

This research doesn’t say what causes type 1 diabetes. It helps us understand the communication between gut microbes and immune development so we can one day support healthier beginnings 💙

Read more at: https://rdcu.be/eV6xX

30/01/2026

💙 Why early screening for type 1 diabetes matters

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) doesn’t appear overnight. Long before appear, the immune system often shows early warning signs — called — that can be detected with a simple blood test.

A recent review looked at from around the world and found that some people are more likely to develop these early immune markers, especially if they:

🔹 Live with another autoimmune condition, such as
• Coeliac disease
• Autoimmune thyroid disease
• Addison’s disease
• Juvenile idiopathic arthritis
• Ulcerative colitis
• Vitiligo (and others)

🔹 Or have a family history of diseases, even if they themselves are currently well

What does this mean?
People in these higher-risk groups may benefit from earlier screening, which can:
✔️ Detect before symptoms appear
✔️ Reduce the risk of serious illness at diagnosis ( )
✔️ Create opportunities for closer monitoring and emerging early-intervention options

Importantly, this research is not about prediction or certainty — it’s about awareness, choice, and supporting health through earlier knowledge.

Early detection can change the experience of diagnosis, helping people and families feel more prepared and supported 💙

Read more at: https://doi.org/10.1002/dmrr.70110 and screening information for family members in Australia at www.type1screen.org

27/01/2026

A step forward for protecting insulin production in early type 1 diabetes 💙

For years, researchers have been exploring whether a medication called (ATG) might help people newly diagnosed with keep making some of their own for longer.

Earlier studies showed something important:
👉 High doses did not help
👉 Lower doses did — especially in teens and young adults

This new international study builds on that work and takes it further.

✨ What’s new here:

Researchers tested several doses of in , , and young people shortly after diagnosis

They confirmed that:
- ATG can slow the loss of insulin production
- a much lower dose worked, with fewer side effects
- younger participants seemed to benefit the most

💡 Why this matters:
This isn’t a cure, and insulin is still essential. But preserving even a small amount of the body’s own insulin can make diabetes easier to manage. Finding a lower, safer, and more practical dose — especially for children — is an important step.

Together with earlier studies, this research strengthens the case for ATG as a potential disease-modifying treatment in early type 1 diabetes, and shows that smarter trial designs can speed up progress.

Read more at https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(25)01674-5

24/01/2026

New Research Links Vitamins to Type 1 Diabetes Risk

A new study from the Finnish Type 1 Diabetes Prediction and Prevention (DIPP) cohort suggests certain may play a role in reducing the risk of ,—a key early indicator of development, especially in children genetically at risk.

👶 Study Details:

5674 children participated, with dietary intake recorded from the ages of 3 months to 6 years. The research focused on how vitamins (A, B, C, D, E) might impact the development of islet autoimmunity and .

💡 Key Findings:

Vitamin C, E, and A: High intake of and was linked to a lower risk of developing and .

Vitamin D: A weak link was found between vitamin D intake and islet autoimmunity, but it wasn't as strong.

Vitamin B: No significant association was found for B vitamins.

📉 What This Means:

- Ensuring children at risk for get enough vitamin C and vitamin E might help reduce the risk of developing islet autoimmunity.
- Though the study didn’t find a strong effect from vitamin D or B vitamins, it does suggest that diet could influence the development of .

🍊 The Takeaway: Boosting your intake of vitamin C and vitamin E could play an important role in managing diabetes risk. It’s not just about what you eat, but how your body processes it!

Read more online at: https://rdcu.be/eWSuM

💙

21/01/2026

High blood glucose? Movement can help 💪💙

A large real-world study of people living with looked at over 1,500 short bouts of physical activity when levels were high.

✨ The result:
👉 Around 20–25 minutes of movement lowered glucose by an average of ~2 mmol/L
👉 The risk of going low was very small (

18/01/2026

A shout out to the wonderful and amazing Mila!

Mila' big sister, Alaska, lives with . Having a family member living with the condition pops Mila's risk of developing up a smidge when compared someone in the general population.

Not having any antibodies detected from the blood sample is very reassuring. But this is a moment in time, like any blood test result, and the risk doesn't completely go away.

Screening for in children under 10 years of age is recommended every 1-2 years. The older we get, the lower the risk of developing the early markers ( ).

For more information or to register for screening, go to www.type1screen.org

15/01/2026

Supporting teens with type 1 diabetes really matters 💙

A long-term study followed people diagnosed with very young and checked on their health nearly 30 years later.

The study found the years can be a challenging time for blood glucose management. This period deserves extra understanding and support. Blood glucose levels tended to be higher during adolescence than in childhood or adulthood — something many families already recognise.

Importantly, the results suggest how well teens are supported during these years may influence health later in life, particularly around nerve health ( ). This doesn’t mean are inevitable — many people in the study did not develop serious problems — but it highlights as a time when care teams and families can make a positive difference.

💡 Takeaway: The aren’t about perfection — they’re about support, flexibility, and continuity of care, especially as young people transition to adult services. Investing in good support during adolescence can help set people up for better health in the future.

The article is online at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diabres.2025.112447

12/01/2026

A recent study compared Swedish children diagnosed with found to have, or not have, (early markers to ). Of the 2753 children studied, 169 (6.1%) did not have any islet autoantibodies detected at diagnosis.

Key characteristics of children without antibodies at diagnosis:
💁‍♂️Gender: More boys (66%) vs. 56% in the autoantibody-positive group.
📈Glucose management: Higher HbA1c (11.3% vs. 10.8%).
⬇DKA Presentation: Less likely to present with ketoacidosis (9% vs. 15%).
👪Family History: More likely to have a parent with (8% vs. 2%).

What this study suggests:
🚸Disease Heterogeneity: T1D can present differently in a minority of children
🐢Slower Progression: lower DKA rates without antibodies indicates a potentially slower disease course, allowing for longer symptom development before diagnosis.
👩‍👩‍👧‍👧Different Etiology: a family history of may bring about insulin resistance in this subgroup, possibly leading to beta-cell (cells that make insulin) exhaustion.

Read more at https://doi.org/10.2337/dc25-0840

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