No, the diagnosis of a child is not always type 1 diabetes. With childhood obesity so common now, type 2 diabetes develops at much younger ages. Those who are truly type 1 require insulin to live. If your child is not requiring insulin at this time, it may be true that he/she may need it in the future if the pancreas is on a path to no longer being able to produce insulin. There are tests that can help determine this. Discuss this with your physician. Following a healthy lifestyle and eating whole foods is most important with or without medication.