When our kid was first diagnosed, everything hit at once in the ER. The idea that we might have seen signs coming earlier, without the panic, keeps coming up in conversations with other T1D parents.
A recent DiaTribe webinar shared real experiences from families who used screening to catch type 1 before symptoms or DKA. The piece is here: https://diatribe.org/diabetes-management/type-1-diabetes-screening-can-give-families-more-time.
If screening is already on your radar, the other test that tends to follow a T1D diagnosis is celiac. We wrote a parent filter for it in celiac screening for kids with Type 1 diabetes.
What the webinar actually covered
Screening looks for diabetes-related autoantibodies in a blood test. A positive result can place someone in stage 1 or 2, before insulin is needed. Panelists, including a pediatric endocrinologist with type 1 and a parent whose daughter was identified through screening, described it as turning on headlights instead of driving in the dark. More than 60% of U.S. kids still get diagnosed in DKA; the goal is moving that number down by giving families time to confirm results, meet a care team, and monitor.
What this could mean for families like ours
For parents who already live with type 1 or have a child with it, the stories hit close. One mom described the “gift of time” after her daughter tested positive: they added a CGM for a short window, learned in small steps, and avoided the fire-hose of information that comes with a hospital diagnosis. Her daughter still plays soccer and leads the way on checks. The shift from reactive to proactive felt meaningful even though the diagnosis itself did not change.
When free local screening days show up – like the Padres No Curveballs event at Petco Park – we treat them the same way: useful awareness, not a substitute for sitting down with the care team.
What we are not doing yet
This is still an education and awareness topic, not a new standard for every family. Screening is not required, results can raise anxiety, and follow-up care needs to be lined up quickly. We are not rushing any tests or changes at home. We will keep talking with our endo about whether it makes sense for siblings or other relatives and what local options actually look like right now.
This is not medical advice. Decisions about screening or monitoring always belong with your own care team.
