PLEDGE Study

Early Detection of Type 1 Diabetes and Celiac Disease in Children

Sanford Health has made a strong commitment to studying, preventing and curing type 1 diabetes (T1D). The Sanford PLEDGE study is a large-scale screening of children for T1D and celiac disease.

Through PLEDGE, we hope to find better ways to identify which children may be at risk of developing these diseases. Early detection and ongoing monitoring means kids could start treatment early enough to prevent serious illness.

Who can Join the PLEDGE Study?

Children who:

Are ages 0-5 or ages 9-16
Do not have T1D
Receive routine care at Sanford Health
Have a My Sanford Chart account

Children ages 6 to 17 who have a sibling with T1D or T1D antibodies may also join the study.

Expecting parents
Enroll your newborn as early as week 36 in your pregnancy.

Enroll Now

Children under age 6
Children from newborns to age 5 may be able to enroll in the Sanford PLEDGE study.

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Children ages 9 to 16
Children 9 to 16 years old may be able to enroll in the Sanford PLEDGE study.

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Children with T1D in the family
Children ages 6 to 17 may qualify for screening if they have a sibling with T1D or antibodies related to T1D.

Enroll Now

How PLEDGE Works

You’ll complete these steps in My Sanford Chart:

Give permission for your child to participate in the study and provide access to their medical records.
Complete brief questionnaires about your child’s and your family’s medical history.

The Sanford PLEDGE study will also collect a small amount of blood when your child is in for routine care. The number of blood draws will depend on your child’s age when they entered the study.

We test the samples for:

A genetic risk score (GRS) that may show if a child is at a higher risk for T1D or celiac disease.
T1D and celiac antibodies, which are early signs of these diseases.

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