Why is type 1 diabetes more aggressive in children under 7?

The study found that the pancreas is still developing in young children, especially under age 7, making it more vulnerable to damage from the immune system's attack on insulin-producing beta cells.

How can new drugs help children with type 1 diabetes?

Researchers say newly developed drugs could help delay the onset of type 1 diabetes in children, giving their pancreas more time to fully develop and potentially reducing the severity of the disease.

What is the current situation for 8-year-old Gracie, who was suddenly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2018?

Gracie now has a glucose monitor and insulin pump, and her father says she is "bossing diabetes", adapting quickly to the new lifestyle changes required to manage the condition.

Home / Health / Pancreas Development Explains Aggressive Type 1 Diabetes in Children

Pancreas Development Explains Aggressive Type 1 Diabetes in Children

13 Nov

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Summary

Pancreas still developing in young children, making it vulnerable to damage
New drugs could delay disease onset, giving pancreas time to mature
Type 1 diabetes more severe and aggressive in children under 7 years old

Pancreas Development Explains Aggressive Type 1 Diabetes in Children

According to a study published in 2025, researchers have uncovered a key reason why type 1 diabetes is more severe and aggressive when it develops in young children. The study, conducted by a team at the University of Exeter, shows that the pancreas is still undergoing significant development in childhood, particularly before the age of 7.

This makes the pancreas far more vulnerable to damage from the immune system's attack on the insulin-producing beta cells. In children, the beta cells exist in small clusters and are quickly destroyed, preventing them from maturing into the larger, more durable Islets of Langerhans seen in adults.

The good news is that this new understanding opens the door to potential treatments. Researchers say newly developed drugs could help delay the onset of type 1 diabetes in children, buying precious time for their pancreas to fully develop and potentially reducing the severity of the disease.