Roughly 90 percent of children newly diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, or T1D, have no known family history of the condition. However, relatives of someone living with T1D are about 15 times more likely than the general population to develop the disease over their lifetime, making family-based screening an important starting point for early detection.
In 2024, Rady Children’s launched one of the nation’s first Type 1 Diabetes At-Risk Clinics to help identify children likely to develop T1D before symptoms appear. During its pilot phase, the clinic screened more than 130 children, offering families early insight, monitoring and guidance well ahead of diagnosis.
With funding support from Breakthrough T1D, Rady Children’s now offers weekly autoantibody screening sessions focused on children who are relatives of people living with T1D and children with a personal or family history of other autoimmune conditions.
Children who test positive for T1D autoantibodies but do not yet show changes in blood sugar are followed closely through regular monitoring, glucose tracking and family education. Those who begin to show early blood sugar changes may become eligible for therapies that delay disease progression or for participation in clinical trials.
Screening family members of people with T1D is an important first step, but many children who develop the disease have no known family history. By expanding early screening, more families can receive answers sooner, feel supported and begin their journey with knowledge and preparation rather than uncertainty. The goal is simple: to help children stay healthy and safe and to give families reassurance, guidance and support every step of the way.