Type 1 Onset because of COVID

eshobabu

Well-Known Member
Messages
49
My 6 yr old daughter was recently diagnosed with Type 1. We have had no history of diabetes on both sides of the family. She had blood work done last September (2019) which was normal, and then she had an ER visit in feb for a stomach flu - they did urine and it was normal - they detected trace e-coli and discharged. And then this September she developed an infection and they did a glucose test and rushed us to the hospital with 400 plus glucose and ketones and diagnosed with T1D.

So this happened between feb and September. The only thing that happened is we all had covid - the entire family. Some had severe symptoms some had none. every one recovered. I have been running into more and more research pointing to COVID as the trigger of T1D. Am I delusional? I even came across research that this might not even be T1D, but a new form of D altogether.

Maybe I am in denial? She might be honeymooning because we see her basal going down from 6 units to 3 now... Has anyone come across any research that this might not be T1D?
 

EllieM

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Welcome to the forums.

There are certainly some articles out there when you look for covid trigggering T1, and I think we had a new case on here from @Anomaly

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/any-t1ds-triggered-by-covid.175272/

There are a number of theories that T1 can be triggered by traumatic events, injuries and illnesses, including viruses, so I wouldn't be at all surprised if the number of new T1s went up as a result of the COVID epidemic. Of course, you'll never know whether your daughter would be T1 free without the COVID, or just acquired it later....

Fortunately or unfortunately, T1 is not desperately genetic (or at least not nearly as strongly as T2). A T1 is much more likely to have a T1 child than a non T1, but it is still pretty unlikely and plenty of T1s have no family history. There are some genetic markers that make a person more likely to develop T1, but that's about as far as current medical knowledge seems to go.

Obviously covid is a whole new ballgame and no one really knows its consequences yet, but I think you're probably in denial in hoping that your daughter hasn't got T1. It's a hard diagnosis, possibly harder for the parent than the child (I was diagnosed at 8) but there are very few careers that are closed to T1s (astronaut and military come to mind) and it's probably best to concentrate on getting the hang of the treatment rather than speculating on whatifs (sorry, I know that's easy to say, maybe not so easy to do). Medical care for modern T1s is infinitely better than it was 50 years ago when I was first diagnosed, and I am certainly intending to do my best to stay fit and healthy for another 2 or 3 decades.

Good luck. My best wishes for managing your daughter's T1. (Give it a couple of years and she'll be managing it herself, at least partially.)
 
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mattayre01

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My 6 yr old daughter was recently diagnosed with Type 1. We have had no history of diabetes on both sides of the family. She had blood work done last September (2019) which was normal, and then she had an ER visit in feb for a stomach flu - they did urine and it was normal - they detected trace e-coli and discharged. And then this September she developed an infection and they did a glucose test and rushed us to the hospital with 400 plus glucose and ketones and diagnosed with T1D.

So this happened between feb and September. The only thing that happened is we all had covid - the entire family. Some had severe symptoms some had none. every one recovered. I have been running into more and more research pointing to COVID as the trigger of T1D. Am I delusional? I even came across research that this might not even be T1D, but a new form of D altogether.

Maybe I am in denial? She might be honeymooning because we see her basal going down from 6 units to 3 now... Has anyone come across any research that this might not be T1D?
That sure is interesting! As the covid19 virus is highly likely a engineered strain of corona-virus anything is possible. To pinpoint a possible direct cause I guess you have to look at everything during and leading up to that time of onset of the T1 diagnosis such as what vaccines( as shown in a italian study) or other medications or events she had encountered. Like ElliM said a traumatic experience may be a cause also as my sister got T1 diagnosis post car accident at 20+ yo. I hope she recovers soon.
 

MarkMunday

Well-Known Member
Messages
421
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Various stressors can precipitate onset of T1 symptoms. Mine started after an intense exam period. The most common are physical trauma and infections. The actual T1 disease, where the immune system attacks beta cells, starts months or even years before the symptoms appear. The cause of it is something quite different too.
 

NicoleC1971

BANNED
Messages
3,451
Type of diabetes
Type 1
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Pump
My 6 yr old daughter was recently diagnosed with Type 1. We have had no history of diabetes on both sides of the family. She had blood work done last September (2019) which was normal, and then she had an ER visit in feb for a stomach flu - they did urine and it was normal - they detected trace e-coli and discharged. And then this September she developed an infection and they did a glucose test and rushed us to the hospital with 400 plus glucose and ketones and diagnosed with T1D.

So this happened between feb and September. The only thing that happened is we all had covid - the entire family. Some had severe symptoms some had none. every one recovered. I have been running into more and more research pointing to COVID as the trigger of T1D. Am I delusional? I even came across research that this might not even be T1D, but a new form of D altogether.

Maybe I am in denial? She might be honeymooning because we see her basal going down from 6 units to 3 now... Has anyone come across any research that this might not be T1D?
Hello. I really hope you and your family are doing well following the trauma of having a very ill child followed by diagnosis of a chronic condition.
I am type 1 and didn't appreciate how difficult if must have been for my own parents at the time until I had my own 3 (none of them diabetic).
Nobody really knows why type 1 people suddenly reject their own beta cells but I know of many for whom diabetes followed on from an event which triggered an auto immune response like this. A virus can trigger it and there is a link to other autoimmune conditions such as coeliac disease and thyroid conditions. The gentic link is really weak.
She is fortunate in that the tech and insulins today are loads better than they were and at her young age she will adapt really well most likely. She may still have some remaining beta cell function and some people think this can be preserved for some time by following a low carb diet (see Dr Bernstein or typeonegrit on Facebook). This US group of kids seem to get steady blood sugars without the terror of hypos so I'd recommend their approach though it probably doesn't come into current conventional NHS treatment.
Wishing you and her the best of luck and i am sure she will amaze and impress you with her resillience! A note of caution if she has siblings as my sister certainly felt that she missed out on being the special ill one and I know my dad still feels guilty about it (as parents always do about something!).
 

TashT1

Well-Known Member
Messages
308
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
As others have linked to there certainly is a bidirectional relationship between covid & diabetes being investigated.

I’m aware from certain ongoing research projects & anecdotally from my DN that diabetes diagnosis have tripled since March. But since the research is ongoing & in the early days there wasn’t much covid testing going on it’s going to take time to test the strength of the relationship & yes they even question if it is a ‘new’ type of diabetes because many require insulin without antibodies being present.

All you can do is focus on your daughters needs day to day & keep one eye on the research. If she requires insulin, treating her as a type 1 diabetic is the best thing you can do.

I have a child with a long term medical condition. It can be exhausting at times and when things go wrong the instinct is to blame yourself. Try to be aware of this because my experience with diabetes is it will take time to get things stable. Always remember you are doing the best you can on any given day, there will be bumps in the road but eventually things will normalise.
 

eshobabu

Well-Known Member
Messages
49
Thanks everyone for the replies - I just am trying to hang on to some hope here - and you are all right - she seems to be handling it just fine... The finger pricks used to scare her a lot, but then I got this genteel device and she insists on it - even though we no longer need the finger pricks because of the dexcom. I do the dexcom when she is asleep - and thank the lord she is a sound sleeper and does not even wake up.

The insulin administration is a challenge. I want to collapse into a black hole when I have to give her the pen injection - she pretends to be strong but as soon as the needle is about to go in I can sense her fear and she starts to hold my hand with her little fingers. I am trying to get the insujet - its not available in the US, and they wont ship it here, and they also said I cannot do <5 units so its no use for us because she needs between 0.5 to 2 units. I ordered this comfort-in thing from Australia - I am not really sure if it helps but it claims to be needle free - I get it october 12th and will talk to her endo and show it to her before trying that. They say its a jet of insulin that shoots out at the speed of sound or something - which I wonder how different it feels than a needle.

We are debating on the pump, I am not sure I want it just yet because she might be honeymooning - someone told me their honeymoon lasted years. So I am hanging on to that little hope.

Anyone have any idea how to get this thing: renatasouzaluque thomy (I can't post a link for some reason here) or anything that can help reduce the trauma of the pen? I poked myself with that the pen a hundred times while i was learning how to do it so it does not hurt and it does not hurt that much to me atleast, so its not really the physical pain, but this thomy thing has a design that might help her with the psychological aspect of the injection.
 

eshobabu

Well-Known Member
Messages
49
As others have linked to there certainly is a bidirectional relationship between covid & diabetes being investigated.

I’m aware from certain ongoing research projects & anecdotally from my DN that diabetes diagnosis have tripled since March. But since the research is ongoing & in the early days there wasn’t much covid testing going on it’s going to take time to test the strength of the relationship & yes they even question if it is a ‘new’ type of diabetes because many require insulin without antibodies being present.

All you can do is focus on your daughters needs day to day & keep one eye on the research. If she requires insulin, treating her as a type 1 diabetic is the best thing you can do.

I have a child with a long term medical condition. It can be exhausting at times and when things go wrong the instinct is to blame yourself. Try to be aware of this because my experience with diabetes is it will take time to get things stable. Always remember you are doing the best you can on any given day, there will be bumps in the road but eventually things will normalise.


This is very helpful. We have an appointment with her endo in November where they will tell us exactly what antibodies are present, many of her tests are still pending. Its been about 3 weeks and it still feels like a nightmare I'll wake up from.

I am sorry - I don't know what "DN" means. If diabetes diagnoses have indeed tripled since march, then there REALLY needs to be more noise made - the entire world is heading towards reopen - live with COVID mode, and we are sending an entire generation of kids back into school. I wish I had known this before - I live with the guilt of letting COVID get to us. I could have been more careful - it crushes my soul every time I think of it.
 

Jaylee

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
18,213
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Thanks everyone for the replies - I just am trying to hang on to some hope here - and you are all right - she seems to be handling it just fine... The finger pricks used to scare her a lot, but then I got this genteel device and she insists on it - even though we no longer need the finger pricks because of the dexcom. I do the dexcom when she is asleep - and thank the lord she is a sound sleeper and does not even wake up.

The insulin administration is a challenge. I want to collapse into a black hole when I have to give her the pen injection - she pretends to be strong but as soon as the needle is about to go in I can sense her fear and she starts to hold my hand with her little fingers. I am trying to get the insujet - its not available in the US, and they wont ship it here, and they also said I cannot do <5 units so its no use for us because she needs between 0.5 to 2 units. I ordered this comfort-in thing from Australia - I am not really sure if it helps but it claims to be needle free - I get it october 12th and will talk to her endo and show it to her before trying that. They say its a jet of insulin that shoots out at the speed of sound or something - which I wonder how different it feels than a needle.

We are debating on the pump, I am not sure I want it just yet because she might be honeymooning - someone told me their honeymoon lasted years. So I am hanging on to that little hope.

Anyone have any idea how to get this thing: renatasouzaluque thomy (I can't post a link for some reason here) or anything that can help reduce the trauma of the pen? I poked myself with that the pen a hundred times while i was learning how to do it so it does not hurt and it does not hurt that much to me atleast, so its not really the physical pain, but this thomy thing has a design that might help her with the psychological aspect of the injection.

Hi,

Welcome to the forum.

If it's any consolation to you. I was a little older than your daughter. This was "alien" to us all.

But, my mum knew I needed to do this for myself the sooner the better? (Back in my early days they were formidable needles.)

As i told my mum in a frank conversation, many years later, "Sheds happen." (Yep, she was guilting herself. But why?)
We adapt if you are stoic enough to adapt too.
 

Goonergal

Master
Retired Moderator
Messages
13,466
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Anyone have any idea how to get this thing: renatasouzaluque thomy (I can't post a link for some reason here) or anything that can help reduce the trauma of the pen? I poked myself with that the pen a hundred times while i was learning how to do it so it does not hurt and it does not hurt that much to me atleast, so its not really the physical pain, but this thomy thing has a design that might help her with the psychological aspect of the injection.

Hi there. The product you mention appears to be a prototype that hasn’t yet gone into production. Perhaps you could contact the designer to see if there is a way to participate in any testing?
 

TashT1

Well-Known Member
Messages
308
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I am sorry - I don't know what "DN" means. If diabetes diagnoses have indeed tripled since march, then there REALLY needs to be more noise made - the entire world is heading towards reopen - live with COVID mode, and we are sending an entire generation of kids back into school. I wish I had known this before - I live with the guilt of letting COVID get to us. I could have been more careful - it crushes my soul every time I think of it.

It’s just short for diabetic nurse, at the time I was diagnosed (end of June) the service was under a lot of pressure because of all the new cases, so they were pretty vocal about how they believe it was linked to covid, especially if it’s someone with slightly unusual presentation.

We could have all been more careful over covid in the beginning, but at the time we could only work within the bounds of what we were being advised & what we knew about the virus. Overtime we will get to know the true long term cost and it won’t just be increased cases diabetes.

Your focus is right where it should be, on making things as easy as possible for your daughter. I don’t know much about the devices to help with injection but I do know that it can hurt sometimes. About 20% of the time i hit something & bleed or just find that at certain times of the day I’m more sensitive. Overtime I’ve found better spots to inject into, but there’s still a niggling fear of it hurting.
 

eshobabu

Well-Known Member
Messages
49
Hi there. The product you mention appears to be a prototype that hasn’t yet gone into production. Perhaps you could contact the designer to see if there is a way to participate in any testing?
I did that - I heard back from the designer - apparently there is no product - the prototype does not actually have a pen so nothing concrete there. I found these needles: BD AutoShield Duo. They are slightly thicker than the one we use but it has a shield so it might be easier on her? Anyone have thoughts?

I also ordered the comfort-in and the TickleFlex - both of which claim to make the insulin administration part easier. The finger pricking part is much better now thanks to genteel and dexcom g6.