Juvenile diabetes was once the term used to describe type 1 diabetes. What is type 1 diabetes and who gets it? Do adults develop type 1 diabetes? How do doctors treat type 1 diabetes? These are some of the many questions that people usually have about type 1 diabetes.

The 411

When an individual has type 1 diabetes, the body’s own immune system mistakenly attacks cells in the pancreas and destroys cells that are responsible for making insulin. The person then produces little to no insulin.
Type 1 diabetes is often thought of as only affecting children. The truth is that although it affects primarily children and teens, there are some adults that have type 1 diabetes because it can develop in a person of any age.

Genetics plays a role in type 1 diabetes. People inherit a predisposition to type 1 diabetes from one or both parents, but everyone at risk does not develop it.
Symptoms and Treatment

The destruction of enough beta cells to where type 1 diabetes symptoms are noticed can take several years. The symptoms can be severe and often develop very quickly. Some symptoms include fatigue, frequent hunger, unexplained weight loss, frequent urination, and blurred vision.

There is no way to prevent type 1 diabetes, and there is no cure. Parents with children who have type 1 diabetes have a crucial role in their child’s daily diabetes care, such as administering insulin injections, serving healthy meals and snacks, and helping their child learn the importance of a healthy lifestyle.