Early Type 1 Diabetes Screening Clinic to Provide Care for Children at High Risk

Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health will soon open an Early Type 1 Diabetes Screening Clinic, taking a unique approach to early Type 1 diabetes detection by offering screening for children at high risk of developing the condition.

“We now know that the presence of certain antibodies in the blood make it more likely that a patient will develop Type 1 diabetes within the next 5-10 years,” said pediatric endocrinologist Shoshana Tell, M.D. “Our goal for this clinic is to offer antibody testing to children at high risk for Type 1 diabetes — including siblings of children who have already been diagnosed and children with other autoimmune disorders — so we can prevent diabetic ketoacidosis and other serious complications.”

Another goal of the Early Type 1 Diabetes Screening Clinic is to give eligible patients access to a new FDA-approved immunotherapy medication called teplizumab that can delay the onset of Type 1 diabetes. The medication is indicated for children age 8 and older with Stage 2 Type 1 diabetes — a phase of the disease where damage to insulin-producing cells causes abnormal blood sugar levels but does not cause noticeable diabetes symptoms.

“Teplizumab can delay the progression of Type 1 diabetes, often by 2-3 years,” said Dr. Tell.

Although teplizumab is now available at Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health, the Early Type 1 Diabetes Screening Clinic plans to officially open in spring 2026.

“We plan to work closely with pediatricians in our community to educate them about early Type 1 diabetes screening for high-risk children,” said Dr. Tell. “Eventually, early Type 1 diabetes screening may have the potential to benefit all children — not just those at high-risk.”

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