Type 1 Diabetes can start early. So can you.
Early screening saves lives. It’s simple, safe, and available in many countries.
Learn how one small act today can make a difference tomorrow.
What if you could act before symptoms appear?
Every year, type 1 diabetes affects hundreds of thousands of young people. In 2025 alone, an estimated 513,000 new cases were newly diagnosed worldwide, including 164,000 children aged 0–14 years and 58,000 teenagers aged 15–19 years. The number of cases has grown by 2.4% in just one year.
Early detection can change everything. It helps prevent severe complications, gives families time to prepare, and ensures timely access to care. Screening is simple, painless, and already available in several European countries.
Take action today
Prevent severe complications
Give families time to prepare
Enable access to disease-modifying therapies
Connect with support networks early
The numbers speak for themselves
in 2025 alone.
cases in one year
DKA at diagnosis
early detection
offering screening
How does screening work?
Type 1 diabetes is a gradual process, moving through stages before symptoms are noticeable. Screening is done using a simple blood test that checks for proteins called islet autoantibodies. These autoantibodies show that the immune system has begun reacting against the insulin‑producing cells in the pancreas.
If a child has two or more of these autoantibodies on more than one test,
this means they have entered early‑stage type 1 diabetes, even if they feel completely well.
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Have a quick, simple blood test
Get your results and guidance
What happens after screening
Regardless of the outcome, autoantibody screening for type 1 diabetes is not about creating worry, it’s about preparation. If early‑stage type 1 diabetes is detected, families are contacted, guided through the results, and supported by healthcare professionals. Early monitoring helps prevent emergencies and gives families time to prepare while children and/or teenagers continue to feel well and live life as usual. Clear next steps and support are always part of the process. This page explains what you can expect after your child is screened.
0 autoantibodies detected
What this means:
No diabetes related autoantibodies were found. This means your child’s risk of developing type 1 diabetes is very low at this time.
What happens next:
No follow up or treatment is needed. Your child can continue life as usual. In some programmes, repeat screening may be offered later, depending on age or family history.
1 autoantibody detected
What this means:
One autoantibody was found. This shows a slightly increased risk, but most children with a single autoantibody do not go on to develop type 1 diabetes.
What happens next:
No treatment is needed. Your family may be offered monitoring or repeat testing over time to see if anything changes. Your child is expected to feel well and carry on normally.
2 or more autoantibodies detected
What this means:
Two or more autoantibodies were found and the result is confirmed, which indicates early‑stage type 1 diabetes, even if your child feels completely well.
What happens next:
If screening shows markers of early stage type 1 diabetes, it is completely natural to feel uncertain or overwhelmed. You are not alone, and importantly, this does not mean your child needs insulin right now. After a positive screening result, families are:
• Contacted by the screening team
• Guided carefully through the results
• Connected to healthcare professionals experienced in type 1 diabetes
Together with your care team, a follow up and monitoring plan is put in place. This allows your child’s health to be checked regularly over time, while they continue to feel well and live life as usual. Most children at this stage can carry on everyday activities such as school, play, and sports.
What monitoring looks like
Monitoring is designed to support families early and prevent surprises. Depending on the programme, follow up may include:
- regular check ins to monitor blood sugar changes,
- education for families about signs and symptoms to watch for, and
- support to prepare for treatment if it becomes necessary in the future.
This approach helps prevent sudden and life threatening emergencies, such as diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), and allows for a calmer, more structured transition if symptoms eventually appear.
You don’t have to face this alone.
If you have questions about screening or what comes next, your screening and healthcare teams are there to guide you, answer your questions, and support your family every step of the way.
Voices with lived experience
Behind every early detection story is a personal experience. In this short testimonial, members of the Type 1 diabetes community share why early screening matters to them and why raising awareness across Europe is so important. Their voices remind us that small actions today can make a meaningful difference for families tomorrow.
Understanding Type 1 Diabetes
An overview of how T1D develops and what takes place in the body before symptoms emerge.
What is Type 1 Diabetes?
T1D is an autoimmune condition where the body's immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. This process begins months or years before symptoms appear.
Who does it affect?
T1D can develop at any age, but it’s most commonly diagnosed in children, teenagers and young adults. Globally, 9.5 million people are currently living with T1D, including 1.85 million under 20 years old, and the number is projected to rise to 14.7 million by 2040.
The power of early detection
Screening can identify T1D risk before symptoms appear, preventing life-threatening complications and giving families time to prepare for proper care.
Stages of T1D
Type 1 diabetes develops in stages. Screening can detect the disease long before symptoms appear.
Stage 1
Autoimmunity has already started as marked by the presence ofautoantibodies. As such, type 1 diabetes has already started. Blood sugar levels are normal and there are no symptoms.
Stage 2
Autoantibodies are present, and early changes in blood sugar levels begin. Yet, there are still no symptoms.
Stage 3
Blood sugar levels rise further causing the appearance of symptoms, necessitating the start of exogenous insulin therapy.
About ‘It’s in your hands’
‘It’s in Your Hands’ is a European awareness campaign supported by the EDENT1FI project. We help make early detection of type 1 diabetes visible and understandable, empowering families to take action for their children’s health.
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