Use of Digital Technologies in Pediatric Diabetes Management During the Pandemic

Abstract

The outbreak of COVID-19 had created a significant impact on the medical community and has resulted in novel challenges to all the physicians. It is estimated by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) that in 2019 there were 95,600 cases of type 1 diabetes (0 and 14 years of age) in India. Type 1 diabetes was identified to be an independent risk factor associated with in-hospital death in COVID-19. During the pandemic, due to fear of visiting the hospitals, there was an underrepresentation of new cases and due to delay in the diagnosis, there was a spike in the number of cases of diabetic ketoacidosis. The objective of the current review is to summarize the role of telemedicine in the management of pediatric diabetes. Various organizations such as the Research Society of Study of Diabetes in India (RSSDI), CDiC, and IFAC came forward to support the pediatric diabetes community through the supply of insulin, glucose strips and syringes. The efficiency of telehealth visits was enhanced by using diabetes technologies like insulin pumps, CGMs, and bluetooth glucose meters. As children got ample time to spend with their parents and perform the in-home physical activity, they had good glycemic control during the pandemic period in some cases.