Early screening for type 1 diabetes in children with family history

This research study is testing whether a simple blood screening program can identify children who are at high risk of developing type 1 diabetes before symptoms appear. Researchers will take a small blood sample from children who have a close family member (parent or sibling) with type 1 diabetes, and test it for genetic and immune markers that predict disease risk. If you qualify, you may be invited to return for follow-up visits over the next 5 years to monitor whether you progress toward the disease.

Type 1 diabetes is becoming more common in Saudi Arabia, and early detection of at-risk children could allow doctors to start treatments that delay or even prevent the disease from developing. Currently, Saudi Arabia does not have an organized screening program, which means many at-risk children are not identified until they already have symptoms—sometimes with dangerous complications.