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Type 1 diabetes mostly develops in ������ο��Ƶren, teenagers, and young adults. It’s a chronic autoimmune condition where the body’s immune system attacks cells in the pancreas that make insulin. The lack of insulin means the body is unable to regulate its own glucose (blood sugar). 

Symptoms of type 1 diabetes develop quite quickly, sometimes in as short as a matter of weeks, and include:

• Increased thirst and hunger
• Increased urination (including bedwetting in ������ο��Ƶren who have been potty trained)
• Blurred vision
• Fatigue
• Irritability and mood changes
• Unintentional weight loss

While the cause of type 1 diabetes is unclear, genetics are believed to play a major role. Some parents may feel guilty after learning their ������ο��Ƶ has been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, but it’s important to understand that there is no known way to prevent it.

“The onset of type 1 diabetes has very little to do with the specifics of your diet and exercise,” says Amy Locke, MD, FAAFP, a family medicine doctor and Chief Wellness Officer at ������ο��Ƶ of Utah ������ο��Ƶ. “It’s a parent’s natural response to say, ‘Oh, it must be my fault.’ But we don’t currently know a way to prevent type 1 diabetes.”

While you can’t reverse type 1 diabetes and you will have to take insulin for life, lifestyle factors can help manage your condition. These include:

• Eating a healthy diet
• Tracking your carbohydrate, fat, and protein intake
• Being active
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Getting enough sleep
• Managing stress
• Monitoring your blood sugar levels

“Insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors have really changed the landscape of type 1 diabetes,” Locke says. “Twenty years ago, many people were in and out of the hospital with a shortened lifespan because of complications, and now you see people walking around with pumps and monitors. It’s exciting to see.”