Type 1 diabetes happens when the body’s immune system attacks, by mistake, the cells in the pancreas that make insulin. Insulin works like a key. It lets sugar (glucose) from food move out of the blood and into the cells, where it is used for energy. Without insulin, sugar builds up in the blood and the body can’t use it properly.
Type 1 diabetes is not caused by diet or lifestyle, and nothing a parent did caused it. It often starts in childhood or the teenage years, but it can begin at any age.
Spotting the signs: the 4 Ts
Look out for the 4 Ts:
- Toilet: needing to wee much more often, especially at night, or a toilet-trained child starting to wet the bed.
- Thirsty: feeling like you can’t drink enough.
- Tired: no energy for school, sport or play.
- Thinner: losing weight without trying.
If you notice these, see a GP the same day. A simple finger-prick test can check blood sugar on the spot. Finding type 1 diabetes early helps prevent a serious condition called diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).
Living with type 1 diabetes
Life with type 1 diabetes takes planning, but the tools are much better than they used to be. Most people can eat the foods they enjoy and play the sports they love.
Giving insulin
- Injections: an insulin pen used several times a day.
- Insulin pumps: a small device worn on the body that gives insulin all day.
- Automated insulin delivery: some pumps now link to a glucose sensor and adjust insulin automatically, including overnight.
Checking glucose
- Finger pricks: a tiny drop of blood on a test strip.
- Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs): a small sensor on the arm or tummy that sends readings to a phone or reader, so far fewer finger pricks are needed.
Food and activity
Carbohydrate counting helps match insulin to meals. Exercise needs a little planning to avoid low blood sugar (a “hypo”).
Research into ways to delay or prevent type 1 diabetes, and to replace insulin-making cells, continues around the world.
How we can help
Type 1 diabetes is usually managed with a specialist diabetes team. For children in WA, that is often Perth Children’s Hospital. Your GP works alongside that team. We can:
- check for diabetes quickly if you are worried, and arrange urgent care if needed
- register you with the NDSS so supplies and CGMs cost less
- look after prescriptions, vaccinations and everyday illness
- help with sick-day plans and school or work plans
- keep an eye on eyes, feet, kidneys, blood pressure and mood over the years.
Helpful resources
- Diabetes Australia: the national body for people with diabetes, and the home of the NDSS (National Diabetes Services Scheme), which makes supplies and technology cheaper.
- Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF): funds research and offers support packs, including Rufus the bear, for newly diagnosed children.
- Diabetes Kids and Teens: a site written for young people.
- Perth Children’s Hospital: guides for WA families on managing type 1 diabetes at school and during illness.