Children seeing increased risk in diabetes after COVID, CDC says

HOUSTON - Your child may be more at risk of developing diabetes if they have COVID-19, according to the CDC report. The study finds the virus could directly attack the pancreatic cells that produce insulin and destroy them.

It’s shocking to hear as a parent, especially if you have a history of diabetes in your family.

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"Me and my brother, we lost both of our parents to COVID in May of 2020 eight hours apart. Both of them had diabetes. Literally, everyone in my family has diabetes, so it is very concerning,’ said Brent Cannon, a father of two daughters who are 2-years-old and 5-years-old.

"The 5-year-old, you know she is vaccinated, but we can’t do anything for the 2-year-old. Even being vaccinated does not circumvent the fact that you can still contract COVID. Now, you have to worry about diabetes being much easier to have," he said.

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The study done by the CDC found that children who recovered from COVID-19 may be at a considerably higher risk of developing Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. 

"This is a stern reminder that even in a mild infection, or an asymptomatic infection in children, and they may recover from it, we have always talked about longer-term consequences. So this is certainly concerning to see that increased risk factor of children having been infected with COVID and then going on to develop diabetes," said Dr. Stanley Spinner with Texas Children’s Pediatrics & Texas Children’s Urgent Care. "Even if you have a child who is healthy with no underlying risk factors, that is a condition that seems to now be an increased risk for your child having COVID."

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The best thing parents can do, according to medical experts, is be aware of the signs and symptoms of diabetes. Those include: increased thirst, frequent urination, extreme hunger, unintended weight loss, and fatigue.

The children who were part of the study were diagnosed with diabetes 30 days post-COVID 19 infection. The window at which you may or may not see any symptoms is still undetermined.