Chrissy Teigen Reveals Son Miles, 6, Has Type 1 Diabetes—What to Know About the Disease in Kids

Chrissy Teigen’s son Miles, 6, has type 1 diabetes, the model revealed on Instagram Wednesday.

According to Teigen, Miles was diagnosed with the disease incidentally, when he was hospitalized with another illness.

Teigen, 38, took to Instagram to thank her followers for reaching out after they noticed Miles wearing what appeared to be a continuous glucose monitor (CGM)—a device commonly worn by those with type 1 diabetes—in a photo on her feed.

“A lot of you noticed something a little special about a photo I posted a few days ago—Luna, Miles and I celebrating Simone and team USA,” Teigen wrote. “Miles had his arm up, and soooo many of you reached out to say the most beautiful and incredible words I have ever witnessed on this platform. You noticed his type 1 diabetes monitor and extended so much love and encouragement in every way possible. I was, and am, so blown away by the kindness of this community, already.”

Teigen revealed that Miles’ diagnosis came after he was in the hospital with a “terrible case of shigella, an intestinal infection caused by bacteria in food or water” that he likely picked up from camp.

“The doctors knew something else was off about his blood tests,” she continued. “I’ve learned since then that this is how so many young children end up being diagnosed with type 1—going to the hospital for something completely different.”

Teigen said her son underwent additional testing, and the family learned that he’s in the “honeymoon period of a lifetime” of type 1 diabetes. “Last night, we gave him his first shot of insulin and here we go!” she said. “A different, new world for us and we are certainly learning so much on the fly.”

Teigen ended her post by thanking people who reached out with messages of support. “It helps Miles so much to know so many other people are going through the same thing and he is not alone,” she said.

Teigen’s story has raised a lot of questions about type 1 diabetes in kids, as well as how the condition is often detected in children. Pediatricians explain.

What Is Type 1 Diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes is a disease in which the pancreas doesn’t make or makes very little insulin, a hormone that helps blood sugar enter the cells in your body, where it’s used for energy.¹

When someone lacks insulin, blood sugar builds up in the bloodstream, where it can cause symptoms or health complications. Type 1 diabetes used to be called juvenile diabetes because it often develops in childhood. It’s less common than type 2 diabetes, with about 5 to 10% of people with diabetes having type 1 diabetes.

Common Symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes can cause a range of symptoms, including:²

• Peeing often
• Feeling very thirsty
• Feeling very hungry, even though you are eating
• Extreme fatigue
• Blurry vision
• Cuts and bruises that are slow to heal
• Weight loss, even though you are eating more

Kids may also experience mood swings and irritability, and may have fruity-scented breath, according to Cem S. Demirci, MD, the medical director of pediatric endocrinology and diabetes at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center.

“Often times, these symptoms start gradually over weeks and months, but then reach a critical point resulting in a more severe illness—severe vomiting, malaise, and dehydration,” Jon Simon, MD, an internal medicine physician and pediatrician at Mercy Personal Physicians at Hunt Valley, told Health.

How Is Type 1 Diabetes Usually Detected in Children?

While Teigen suggested that it’s common for type 1 diabetes to be accidentally picked up in children through medical testing, doctors said that’s not usually the case.

“It is relatively uncommon for type 1 diabetes to be diagnosed incidentally in children,” Nader Kasim, MD, pediatric endocrinologist and diabetologist at Corewell Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, told Health. “In most circumstances, a diagnosis is achieved after progressive worsening of symptoms of diabetes are noticed and they are tested for.”

“Routine blood tests are rarely indicated in otherwise healthy children,” Simon added. “Blood testing is usually done to evaluate a specific concern, rather than for routine purposes as might be standard practice in adults.”

But type 1 diabetes symptoms may be triggered by another illness, “which means that we are more likely to be checking labs on these patients,” Krupa Playforth, MD, a pediatrician in Virginia and founder of The Pediatrician Mom, told Health. In that kind of situation, doctors may discover that a patient who is being treated for something else has the condition, she explained.

Still, experts maintain that this is not standard practice for children who don’t have risk factors for type 1 diabetes. “These tests are expensive, not always accessible, and sometimes need specialized labs to run them,” said Playforth.

As for the “honeymoon period,” Teigen mentioned, this is usually a time period where children’s bodies are still producing enough insulin to get by, according to Playforth.

“Blood sugars during the honeymoon period are usually easier to control and these patients do not always need much additional insulin,” said Playforth. “They do need to be monitored closely because the length of the honeymoon period can vary from person to person—it can last weeks, months, or even years.”

Getting Your Child Help for Type 1 Diabetes Symptoms

If your child is showing signs of type 1 diabetes, it’s important to contact their doctor immediately for testing.

“It will be important to emphasize that you have concerns for type 1 diabetes so that testing can be performed in a timely fashion,” said Kasim. “This will also help your medical provider ask you the right questions to determine how urgently your child needs to be seen or if your child need to go to the emergency department.”

People with untreated diabetes can develop a serious and potentially life-threatening condition known as diabetic ketoacidosis, which may require hospitalization.³

Testing for type 1 diabetes often involves blood tests to measure blood sugar levels, along with testing for ketones (acids the body makes when it’s using fat instead of glucose for energy) in the urine or blood, according to Demirci.

If your child is diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, their doctor will often recommend a specialized treatment plan that, according to Demirci, will usually include these:

• Blood glucose monitoring with the help of a glucose meter and or continuous glucose monitor. 
• Insulin therapy through injections or an insulin pump to manage blood sugar levels.
• Dietary management to develop a balanced meal plan that helps control blood sugar levels.
• Regular physical activity to help maintain healthy blood sugar levels.
• Educating the child and family about diabetes management and providing psychological support to help cope with the condition.

“Effective management of type 1 diabetes in children requires a comprehensive approach involving medical care, lifestyle adjustments, and ongoing support from healthcare professionals and family members,” said Demirci.

But experts say the disease is highly manageable, though lifelong. “It’s important to know that people with type 1 diabetes are usually able to live full, healthy lives with good management,” said Playforth, “but that this is a long-term diagnosis.”