When gymnast Jordan Chiles was a kid, her aunt April came to live with her family. Chiles was excited but soon realized that her aunt was sick and sometimes too weak to get out of bed.

“It was a very devastating thing to see, especially being 10 years old,” Chiles told Verywell. “She’s coming to live with us—I thought it was going to be all fun and happy and bubbles. But no, we were trying to figure out what was going on with her.”

A few months later, April was diagnosed withtype 1 diabetes. The diagnosis offered clarity for Chiles’ family and enabled them to better support her, but they wish they had known about her risk for the condition sooner.

“Type 1 diabetes doesn’t run in our family, and it was just a sudden thing,” Chiles said.

To raise awareness for type 1 diabetes, Chiles has partnered with the drugmaker Sanofi to promote theScreen for Type 1movement. Getting an early diagnosis can help individuals manage the condition proactively and reduce the chance of severe complications, such asdiabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).

DKA results when dangerously low levels of insulin make it difficult for the body to processglucoseas fuel, so the body instead burns fat for energy, producing ketones. Ketones, in turn, make the blood acidic. This can lead to coma or death if untreated.

“We’re trying to get this out into the world. We’re trying to make sure everybody is screening, and doing what they need to do because health is not something you want to mess with,” Chiles said.

Type 1 vs. Type 2 Diabetes: What Are the Differences?

How to Screen for Type 1 Diabetes

Getting screened for type 1 diabetes is important even for adults, according toShara Bialo, MD, field medical director (Northeast) of T1D Immunology at Sanofi and a pediatric endocrinologist currently living with the condition.

“A lot of people think of type 1 diabetes as juvenile diabetes, which is what it used to be called. We don’t call it that anymore, because it turns out that half of all new-onset cases every year are in adults 20 and over,” Bialo told Verywell.

Unlike anA1Cor blood sugar test, screening for type 1 diabetes involves a blood test that detects the level of autoantibodies—markers that indicate the immune system is attacking the pancreas.This test can identify a higher risk of the disease before symptoms like extreme thirst or fatigue appear.

Having a single autoantibody means a higher risk of type 1 diabetes, while having two or more autoantibodies may indicate the condition has already begun to develop. For those with no detected autoantibodies, future screenings may still be needed if they have a family history of type 1 diabetes.

You can get a screening test kit mailed to you or ask a healthcare provider about screening during an appointment.

“These autoantibodies are blood markers that tell us that the immune system is attacking the part of our body that’s supposed to be making insulin,” Bialo said. Insulin is crucial for transporting glucose from the blood into cells, where it can be stored or used for energy. Without adequate insulin, individuals with type 1 diabetes must administer insulin through injections or pumps daily to maintain blood sugar levels within a healthy range.

Getting a screening test for type 1 diabetes might feel overwhelming, but the benefits of early detection are significant. Being aware of your risk earlier can give you time to learn about symptoms and treatment options. Medications can also help slow the progression of the disease in some people, even though the condition is not preventable.

A Complete Guide to Type 1 Diabetes Medications

How to Support a Loved One With Type 1 Diabetes

Having a strong support system can make it easier for someone to manage a new type 1 diagnosis. For Chiles and her family, this meant cooking and eating the same meals that fit her aunt’s dietary needs.

“We were all eating what she could eat because we wanted to make sure she wasn’t in it alone,” Chiles said.

“Type 1 is something that I feel like people think is so, so bad, but if you can figure out how to navigate your life and you have the right support system around you, then you’ll have the best future ever,” she added.

“I recommend investing time to learn about the disease, its symptoms, its impact on the body, and how to monitor and treat blood sugar levels,” Bialo said.

If you’re unsure how to help, ask your loved one what they need.

“I think it’s a good idea for caregivers to partner with their loved one in ways that help relieve the burden of type 1 diabetes. This could mean playing an active role in appointments, where appropriate, and asking questions about type 1 diabetes care and management,” Bialo said.

Diabetes Diet Guide

What This Means For YouScreening for type 1 diabetes can help identify your risk early, even if you have no symptoms or family history. Knowing your autoantibody status allows you to monitor for the condition, learn about symptoms, and prepare for management if diagnosed. Early detection can also help reduce the chance of severe complications. You can take a quiz atScreen for Type 1to better understand your risk factors.

What This Means For You

Screening for type 1 diabetes can help identify your risk early, even if you have no symptoms or family history. Knowing your autoantibody status allows you to monitor for the condition, learn about symptoms, and prepare for management if diagnosed. Early detection can also help reduce the chance of severe complications. You can take a quiz atScreen for Type 1to better understand your risk factors.

5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Sims EK, Besser REJ, Dayan C, et al.Screening for type 1 diabetes in the general population: a status report and perspective.Diabetes. 2022;71(4):610-623. doi:10.2337/dbi20-0054American Diabetes Association.Understanding type 1 diabetes.National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Type 1 diabetes.Sanofi.”The Cost of Not Knowing“ survey key findings.National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease.First FDA-approved drug for delaying type 1 diabetes onset.

5 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Sims EK, Besser REJ, Dayan C, et al.Screening for type 1 diabetes in the general population: a status report and perspective.Diabetes. 2022;71(4):610-623. doi:10.2337/dbi20-0054American Diabetes Association.Understanding type 1 diabetes.National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Type 1 diabetes.Sanofi.”The Cost of Not Knowing“ survey key findings.National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease.First FDA-approved drug for delaying type 1 diabetes onset.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Sims EK, Besser REJ, Dayan C, et al.Screening for type 1 diabetes in the general population: a status report and perspective.Diabetes. 2022;71(4):610-623. doi:10.2337/dbi20-0054American Diabetes Association.Understanding type 1 diabetes.National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Type 1 diabetes.Sanofi.”The Cost of Not Knowing“ survey key findings.National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease.First FDA-approved drug for delaying type 1 diabetes onset.

Sims EK, Besser REJ, Dayan C, et al.Screening for type 1 diabetes in the general population: a status report and perspective.Diabetes. 2022;71(4):610-623. doi:10.2337/dbi20-0054

American Diabetes Association.Understanding type 1 diabetes.

National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Type 1 diabetes.

Sanofi.”The Cost of Not Knowing“ survey key findings.

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease.First FDA-approved drug for delaying type 1 diabetes onset.

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