T1D Risk Factors
T1D can happen to any child.
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease and can develop at any age, but it most often begins in children, teens and young adults.
Family history increases risk—but most children diagnosed have no family history.
A child with a parent, brother or sister who has T1D has a substantially higher risk. However, most people who develop T1D do not have a family member with the disease.
Genetics play a role, but they aren’t the whole story.
T1D develops when the immune system mistakenly attacks the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. Researchers believe genetic and environmental factors can contribute to this process.
Autoantibodies are an important early warning sign.
The presence of diabetes-related islet autoantibodies can identify children whose immune system has begun attacking insulin-producing cells—often before blood sugar rises and before symptoms appear.