Type 1 Diabetes: Diagnosis and Treatment

How is Type 1 Diabetes Diagnoses?

Doctors will test for Type 1 diabetes if your child has symptoms of the condition. A blood test can check your child’s blood sugar levels. In some cases, your child might also have high levels of glucose in the urine. This means your child might have diabetes.

How is Type 1 Diabetes Treated?

Children with Type 1 diabetes need to take insulin every day to keep their blood sugar levels within a normal range. Insulin comes as an injection or can be given by an insulin pump that gives insulin through a small needle under the skin.

Children with Type 1 diabetes who use injections usually take one or two injections of long-acting insulin at specific times in the day, and short acting insulin at other times of the day. Children who use only a pump use just one kind of insulin which can give several doses of insulin during the day. The doses of short acting insulin depend on your child’s blood sugar at that time of the day.

Children with Type 1 diabetes also need to check their blood sugar levels throughout the day. This is done by testing a drop of blood in a blood glucose meter or wearing a continuous glucose monitor (CGM). A CGM is a device worn on the body throughout the day. It checks blood sugar levels automatically without the need to prick your child’s finger many times. Some of these devices (insulin pump and CGM) can connect with each other. This is called a sensor-augmented pump. Your diabetes team at Mass General for Children will provide you with information regarding diabetes technology and sign you up for the insulin pump class, if you are interested.

Rev. 4/2015. Mass General for Children and Massachusetts General Hospital do not endorse any of the brands listed on this handout. This handout is intended to provide health information so that you can be better informed. It is not a substitute for medical advice and should not be used to treatment of any medical conditions.