Get the Facts
What is Type 1 Diabetes (T1D)? |
Type 1 diabetes is one of the most common and serious long-term
diseases in children. It is a disease where the body's immune
system attacks the cells that make insulin. Insulin helps
sugar (glucose) get into your cells so it can be used as energy.
Children with type 1 diabetes must take insulin several times
a day to stay alive and healthy. Right now, there is no cure
for type 1 diabetes.
- T1D is a serious disease affecting 1 out of every 300
(1/300) children in the United States.
- T1D occurs when special cells in the pancreas, called
beta cells, are destroyed by the body's own immune system.
When the beta cells are destroyed, the body can no longer
make insulin.
- Insulin is needed to keep blood sugar levels normal. If
there is no insulin, your body can't use the sugars from
the food you eat, causing serious illness or even death.
- A child with T1D must take insulin shots or use an insulin
pump every day to stay well. Insulin has to be taken every
day for the rest of the life of a child with diabetes.
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