<strong>COVID-19: Considerations for Children and Adolescents with Diabetes</strong>

Abstract

Recent reports suggest that the clinical course of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in previously healthy children is usually milder as compared to adults. However, children with co-morbid conditions such as diabetes are at increased risk of infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), as well as morbidity and mortality due to COVID-19. Experience in adults with diabetes shows that they are prone to faster metabolic decompensation, develop diabetes-related complications and have a poor prognosis when hospitalised with COVID-19. The data in children is limited. The aim of this mini-review is to discuss the possible risks to children and adolescents with diabetes during the current pandemic and the special considerations in management in those affected with COVID-19.

Cross-national comparison of psychosocial well-being and diabetes outcomes in adults with type 1 diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic in US, Brazil, and Iran

“…A high number of participants in all countries reported high levels of diabetes distress, diabetes burnout, and depressive symptoms; however, it was higher in Brazil and Iran. Evidence suggest that under normal circumstances around 40% of individuals with diabetes experience moderate to severe diabetes distress and depressive symptoms [36] and diabetes burnout [21]. The results of diabetes distress and diabetes burnout in our US sample are comparable with other studies at non pandemic circumstances [23,27].…”

Smartphone App to Deliver Virtual Follow-up Care for Children with Type 1 Diabetes During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Experience in a Resource-Limited Setup

“…This limitation was pre-empted by telephonic interviews of 50 randomly selected participants, which also increased the generalizability of the findings. Another strength of our study is the demonstration of the usefulness of WhatsApp communication in avoiding DKA-related hospital admissions during the COVID-19 pandemic when most hospitals were not accessible for non-COVID care [4][5][6]16]. All nine children who showed a risk for DKA were managed remotely by the diabetes team, and further deterioration or need for hospitalization was successfully avoided.…”

“…The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic caused a severe disruption in the follow-up care of children with T1D, besides causing delays in the diagnoses and acute care [4,5]. In addition to several considerations for children and adolescents with T1D, an urgent and rapid expansion of telemedicine services for delivering diabetes care, precisely the virtual follow-up care, was quickly adopted by several institutions across the world during the initial phase of the pandemic [6,7].…”