Diagnosis

There are several blood tests for type 1 diabetes in children:

• Random blood sugar test. This is the primary screening test for type 1 diabetes. A blood sample is taken at a random time. A blood sugar level of 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), or 11.1 millimoles per liter (mmol/L), or higher suggests diabetes.
• Glycated hemoglobin (A1C) test. This test indicates your child's average blood sugar level for the past three months. An A1C level of 6.5 percent or higher on two separate tests indicates diabetes.
• Fasting blood sugar test. A blood sample is taken after your child fasts overnight. A fasting blood sugar level of 126 mg/dL (7.0 mmol/L) or higher suggests type 1 diabetes.

Additional tests

If blood sugar testing indicates diabetes, your doctor will likely recommend additional tests to distinguish between type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes because treatment strategies differ by type.

These additional tests include:

• Blood tests to check for antibodies that are common in type 1 diabetes
• Urine or blood tests to check for the presence of ketones, which also suggests type 1 diabetes rather than type 2