A new study shows that children who have recovered from COVID-19 have a significantly increased risk of developing Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes.
Researchers at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention released their findings on Friday, sharing that some studies had already shown a heightened risk of diabetes among adults who recovered from the virus.
Since the pandemic started, researchers in Europe reported seeing an increase in the number of children diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, The New York Times reported.
Now, the CDC’s study is among the first to look at large insurance claim databases in the U.S. This data helped researchers understand the new uptick in diagnoses of diabetes in children under the age of 18 who have recovered from COVID-19.
Two claim databases from U.S. health plans were used for the study. The databases helped show diabetes diagnoses made in children under 18 over the course of a year or more, dating back to March 1, 2020.
The study then compared those who had COVID and those who didn’t. Researchers found increases in diabetes in both data sets, however, relative rates were different.
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The data showed a 2.6-fold increase in new diabetes cases among children in one and a 30% increase in the other.
Sharon Saydah, one of the authors of the study, said that 30% was a “big increase in risk.”
In the study, many of the children were diagnosed only after they experienced an episode of diabetic ketoacidosis — something that happens when the body doesn’t have enough insulin to allow blood sugar into cells to use as energy.
For those being diagnosed, type 1 diabetes is not reversible, and Saydah shared that it is unknown whether Type 2 diabetes would be a chronic condition or a transient condition that resolves.
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Saydah said that the findings raised the importance of vaccinating eligible children and using measures like masking and distancing. She added it would also help protect the youngest children who can’t be vaccinated.
Other factors have also played a role in the increase of Type 2 diabetes cases, including sedentary behavior and weight gain becoming more common due to the pandemic.
Either way, Saydah wants parents and pediatricians to be aware of the symptoms so that they can help kids as soon as possible.
“It’s really important for clinicians, pediatricians, and parents to be aware of the signs and symptoms of diabetes, so they can get their kids diagnosed,” Saydah said.
Symptoms to be aware of include increased thirst, unintentional weight loss, frequent urination, and fatigue.
