Instead of type 1 diabetes, the underlying cause in diabetes with an onset before the age of six months is more likely to be monogenic. Approximately half of the permanent cases of neonatal diabetes are due to mutations in genes coding for the potassium ATP channel proteins essential to insulin secretion. Identification of the cause of a monogenic form of diabetes is important, since it will affect the mode of treatment, prognosis and hereditability. It is especially important to detect neonatal diabetes caused by K-ATP channel genes, as insulin therapy can then usually be replaced by oral sulfonylurea medication.