Chrissy Teigen has revealed her six-year-old son Miles has type 1 diabetes, which was diagnosed incidentally, when he was hospitalized with another illness. The 38-year-old model, who shares two children with singer John Legend took to Instagram to thank her followers for reaching out after they noticed Miles wearing what appeared to be a continuous glucose monitor, a device that estimates your blood glucose level throughout the day and night.

"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 so 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.”

Chrissy said Miles’ diagnosis came after he was hospitalized 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.”

Type-1 diabetes is a chronic autoimmune disease that prevents your pancreas from making insulin – an important hormone that regulates the amount of sugar in your blood. According to experts, not having enough insulin builds up too much sugar in your blood causing hyperglycemia and your body cannot use the food you eat for energy. It then causes serious health problems or even death if not treated well in time.

Type 1 diabetes was previously known as juvenile diabetes and insulin-dependent diabetes.

Doctors say even though it can affect anyone at any age, type 1 diabetes is most commonly diagnosed between the ages of 4-6 years and in early puberty. In the United States, those who are non-Hispanic white are most likely to get Type 1 diabetes, and it affects women and men almost equally. Statistics say around 1.24 million people live with Type 1 diabetes in the US and that number is expected to grow to five million by 2050. Over 352,000 children and adolescents younger than age 20 years are diagnosed with this diabetes every year.

Experts say the symptoms of Type 1 diabetes usually start mild but progress quickly to intense, which could happen over several days, weeks, or months. A few of these include:

• Excessive thirst
• Frequent urination
• Excessive hunger
• Unexplained weight loss
• Fatigue
• Blurred vision
• Slow healing of cuts and sores
• Vaginal yeast infections

Doctors say delayed diagnosis leads to untreated Type 1 that can be life-threatening due to a complication known as diabetes-related ketoacidosis.

Doctors say it is easy to diagnose type 1 diabetes in children, through the following tests:

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