(Luxembourg) Type 1 diabetes most common metabolic disorder in childhood

Dec 16, 2025, Luxembourg Times: Why early detection of type 1 diabetes in children is so important  

https://www.luxtimes.lu/yourluxembourg/healthandwellbeing/why-early-detection-of-type-1-diabetes-in-children-is-so-important/113680738.html

Many children are still diagnosed too late, often only when they have to be admitted to hospital with life-threatening complications 

The warning signs seem harmless at first glance: increased thirst, frequent urination, fatigue or unexplained weight loss.“These symptoms should be a warning sign for parents and paediatricians,” said Dr. Ulrike Schierloh, a specialist in paediatric diabetology and endocrinology at the Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg (CHL).Type 1 diabetes is the most common metabolic disorder in childhood. It occurs when the body’s immune system destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.If not detected in time, it can lead to ketoacidosis, a dangerous over-acidification of the blood.“Around 40% to 50% of our children only arrive at their initial diagnosis when they are already in the early stages of, or even manifest, ketoacidosis,” Schierloh said. “That is unacceptable for a small, compact country like Luxembourg.” 

Small country with big ambitions 

There is only one specialised paediatric clinic for diabetology in Luxembourg: the CHL. According to Schierloh, around 400 children with diabetes are currently being treated there.

The centre is also the national reference centre for diabetes and obesity in children, called OBEDIA kids, and is integrated into the German-language Diabetes Patient History Documentation (DPV) register and the international SWEET register, which compares diabetes data from more than 60 countries.

The results are impressive: “We are doing very well against international comparisons,” Schierloh said. “But we need to get better at identifying children earlier.”This is precisely the aim of a nationwide awareness campaign: to sensitise doctors, schools and parents to correctly interpret the first symptoms. It is particularly important to check the sugar content in the urine immediately if diabetes is suspected. 

Routine urine tests

Luxembourg’s paediatricians routinely carry out urine tests as part of school check-ups. “We have insisted that this practice be maintained,” Schierloh said. “If we find sugar in the urine, that is a strong indication. And the sooner we intervene, the better.” . . .

Growing up normally – even with diabetes 

“We don’t want any child to be excluded because of their illness,” Schierloh said. Kindergartens and schools are therefore closely involved in treatment. Children with chronic illnesses such as diabetes are officially registered through the state

program Projet d’Accueil Individualisé (PAI).CHL nurses then train teachers and educators on how best to support the children in their everyday lives. “We now have four, soon to be five, diabetes nurses. They visit schools and daycare centres, and sometimes even homes. This allows us to see the children in their environment,” Schierloh said. . . .information flyers in several languages.

New therapy on the horizon 

Luxembourg will soon be participating in the “Compassionate Use” programme for new antibody therapies such as Teplizumab. This is an active ingredient that may delay the onset of type 1 diabetes in those children who are at increased risk (stage 2). This is already underway in other countries such as Germany. . . .

Luxembourg has made great strides in recent years: modern technology, interdisciplinary care, close links to international studies. Nevertheless, the number of children who are diagnosed only once they have developed ketoacidosis remains high.“We want to ensure that no child is diagnosed that late,” Schierloh said: “Our goal is for children with type 1 diabetes to be able to live active, self-determined lives without exclusion. We are doing everything we can to achieve this.”