Wow OP, I empathise with your stress and I’m am so so shocked at how ignorant some of the replies are on this thread.
My advice first and foremost OP would be to buy a glucometer online with strips, it shouldn’t set you back more than £15-£30 and keep that in the back of a cupboard and if further symptoms are seen later on, you can just do a prick yourself and keep an eye on it then.
One thing to remember is that at its onset T1D it’s a “degenerative” condition, it takes time for your immune system to kill all of the pancreas beta cells, it’s not a light switch. For some people from the start of the process till they need insulin can take a month or it can take 6. During that time symptoms get progressively worse and blood sugars can be normal as your pancreas is still producing insulin.
a good test for early catching would be to test blood sugars about 1hr after a heavy carb meal and see if blood sugars as back to normal or not.
alternatively you could purchase something like a Freestyle Libre and let him wear it for the 2 wks and see if anything abnormal is seen. (To be fair this might be a good test for now).
While it is true that T1 has a genetic component to predisposition, it doesn't mean you will certainly develop the condition. However, having a parent and especially the father, does give you a higher chance to someone without a familial T1 diagnosis.
However, many T1s do not have any T1s in their family at all, I am one of them.
If it gives you a little bit of reassurance, I’ve been a T1 for over 20yrs now (I was diagnosed while still in primary) and I am rather healthy, fit, woman. I have not developed (knock on wood) any serious complications and my management in my early years was absolutely shocking (I didn’t have a lot of guidance, but that’s another story) and I only really took a much better grip on things in the past 6-8yrs.
One thing I have to say is that getting diagnosed today vs even just 5years ago is that you have so much access to technology that honestly makes life so so so much easier.
From insulin pumps to continuous glucose monitors to automated systems where insulin is adjusted based on glucose readings without your input and what’s best is that you’re usually on the fast track for these systems if you’re under 17 as soon as you’re diagnosed.
Are they perfect? Heck no, but I’d take them any day to the shit show (pardon my french) I had to endure 20yrs ago.
If it does turn out that he does have T1 I would recommend to look into T1 studies immediately as they often have very interesting reversal technologies they’re testing - but you have to contact them within a few weeks after being diagnosed (less than 3 months) and sometimes it can be too late.
Lastly, if this is something that worries you a lot and you’d really rather know if it’s something you need to prepare for in the near future, there are specialised blood tests that have been developed in the states which can rather accurately predict if you will develop T1 in the next 2-5years.
These would of course be out of pocket, but would be a few hundred pounds last I checked.
They’re called Islet autoantibody panels and test: GAD, IA-2, IAA, ZnT8. In fact, it might be worth getting in touch with the research companies as they might advise for best path forward as if autoimmune activity is found, they can advise for preventative treatment.
Good luck OP