Early test for kids at risk of diabetes

SCIENTISTS will today launch a trial which could identify children at risk of developing type 1 diabetes earlier.

Over a quarter of youngsters are not diagnosed with type 1 until they are in ketoacidosis, a serious problem needing urgent hospital treatment.

The screening programme will look for blood markers, which can appear years before symptoms.

If successful, it could transform the way the condition is identified and managed in its earliest stages.

Around 20,000 three to 13-year-olds will take part in the Early Surveillance for Autoimmune Diabetes study.

Prof Parth Narendran, of the University of Birmingham which is running the trial, said: “We hope it will lead to the rollout of a type 1 early detection programme.”