Towanda Area School District

Type 1 Diabetes Information

This type 1 diabetes information was developed pursuant to the Pennsylvania School Code (24 P.S. § 1414.12) and is for school entities and nonpublic schools to provide to parents and guardians of incoming elementary school students and students entering grade six, beginning with the 2025-2026 School Year.

Type 1 diabetes in children is an autoimmune disease that can be fatal if untreated, and the guidance provided in this information sheet is intended to raise awareness about this disease.

Description

Type 1 diabetes usually develops in children and young adults but can occur at any age

• Type 1 diabetes can appear at any age, but it generally appears at two noticeable peaks. The first peak occurs in children between 4 and 7 years old. The second is in children between 10 and 14 years old (Mayo Clinic).

Type 1 diabetes affects insulin production

• Normally the body turns the carbohydrates in food into glucose (blood sugar), the basic fuel for the body’s cells.
• The pancreas makes insulin, a hormone that moves glucose from the blood into the cells.
• In type 1 diabetes, the body’s pancreas stops making insulin, and blood glucose levels rise.
• Over time, glucose can reach dangerously high levels in the blood, which is called hyperglycemia.
• Untreated hyperglycemia can result in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), which is a life-threatening complication of diabetes.

Risk Factors Associated with Type 1 Diabetes

It is recommended that children displaying warning signs and symptoms associated with type 1 diabetes described below, should be screened (tested) for the disease by their health care provider.

Risk Factors

Researchers do not completely understand why some people develop type 1 diabetes and others do not. However, having a family history of type 1 diabetes can increase the likelihood of developing type 1 diabetes. Other factors might play a role in developing type 1 diabetes, including environmental triggers such as viruses. Type 1 diabetes is not caused by diet or lifestyle choices.

Warning Signs and Symptoms Associated with Type 1 Diabetes and Diabetic Ketoacidosis

Warning signs and symptoms of type 1 diabetes in children develop quickly, in a few weeks or months, and can be severe. If your child displays the warning signs below, contact your child’s primary health care provider or pediatrician for a consultation to determine if screening your child for type 1 diabetes is appropriate:

• Increased thirst
• Increased urination, including bed-wetting after toilet training
• Increased hunger, even after eating
• Unexplained weight loss
• Feeling very tired
• Blurred vision
• Very dry skin
• Slow healing of sores or cuts
• Moodiness, restlessness, irritability, or behavior changes

DKA is a complication of untreated type 1 diabetes. DKA is a medical emergency. Symptoms include:

• Fruity breath
• Dry/flushed skin
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Stomach pains
• Trouble breathing
• Confusion

Type 1 Diabetes Treatments

There are no known ways to prevent type 1 diabetes. Once type 1 diabetes develops, medication is the only treatment. If your child is diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, their health care provider will be able to help develop a treatment plan. Your child’s health care provider may refer your child to an endocrinologist, a doctor specializing in the endocrine system and its disorders, such as diabetes.

Contact your child’s school nurse, school administrator, or health care provider if you have questions.

References

Centers For Disease Control and Prevention: About Type 1 Diabetes

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia: Type 1 Diabetes

Mayo Clinic

Medline Plus: National Library of Medicine; Type 1 Diabetes