South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) is set to become the first ambulance service in the country to screen children for type 1 diabetes in a landmark study.

Research paramedics and nurses will carry out testing among those aged three to 13 in GP practices, schools and community centres across Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire and Buckinghamshire.

It is part of a major national research project - Early Surveillance for Autoimmune Diabetes (ELSA) - designed to assess children’s risk of developing type 1 diabetes at the earliest possible stage. 

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Around 400,000 people in the UK - including about 29,000 children - are thought to have type 1 diabetes, a lifelong autoimmune condition.

It is caused by the immune system attacking cells in the pancreas that produce the hormone insulin. This prevents insulin being created and causes blood sugar levels to rise, potentially resulting in life-threatening complications.

Rapid diagnosis is essential to avoid this, but more than a quarter of children in the UK are not diagnosed with type 1 diabetes until they are in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) which requires urgent hospital treatment.

DKA is a serious condition which sees harmful substances known as keytones build up and released when the body starts to run out of insulin and break down fat for energy instead.

The study, funded by Diabetes UK and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), will assess children’s risk of type 1 diabetes through a combination of finger prick and venous blood tests.

The team, led by researchers at the University of Birmingham, will test for markers in the blood called autoantibodies - tools used by the immune system to earmark insulin-producing cells for destruction.

Head of research operations at SCAS, Martina Brown, said: “We are delighted to be the first ambulance trust to use our paramedics and nurses for such a landmark project and will be screening children in community settings including general practices, schools and community centres.

“Screening for type 1 diabetes is not a standard practice in the NHS at present so this really is a fantastic opportunity for everyone involved - and could form the basis for a national screening programme.”

She added: “The benefit is clear in terms of identifying those at risk earlier and teaching children and parents about recognising the acute symptoms and being prepared for emergencies."

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Professor of diabetes medicine at the University of Birmingham, Parth Narendran, said: “As general population screening programmes for type 1 diabetes emerge around the world, we need to explore how best to screen children here in the UK.

“We hope ELSA will lead to the roll-out of a type 1 diabetes early detection programme for children in the UK and encourage families with children at a suitable age to consider taking part.”

Anyone interested in finding out more or signing up can visit the study website elsadiabetes.nhs.uk.