COVID-19 vaccine, in children 5 to less than 12 years old, has shown to be safe and effective as well as offer the best method of protection from the contagious variants. It is no surprise that some people have suffered side effects, but we know that any medication has this risk factor. For example: insulin can cause hypoglycemia which is a side effect and antibiotics might cause diarrhea. While some may say the side effects associated with the vaccine are more severe, this may not be, since we know hypoglycemia has caused severe reactions leading to death. What is important, is to do your own research, find reliable resources, and talk to your health-care team about the pros and cons of your child receiving the vaccination. Please read on as I try to answer some of these questions.
People with Type 1 diabetes are not at higher risk for contracting the coronavirus, however, diabetes management might become more complicated after contracting the virus. The ultimate goal is to avoid the virus.
The clinical trial for use of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine included over two thousand participants age five to eleven years. Even though it did not include children with type 1 diabetes, approximately one-fifth of the participants had other comorbidities such as asthma and obesity. Over 1500 participants received the vaccine and the remaining participants received the placebo. Another way of thinking about these numbers is to consider it as a 2 to 1 ratio those receiving active versus non-active medication respectively.
The dose for children aged 5 to less than 12 years is 10 microgram (mcg) which is one-third that of the adult dose. The children in the study received 2 doses at 21-28 day intervals. (total dose= 20 mcg). The pediatric vaccine has been specifically designed for this age group. All participants were followed for 1-2 months. Despite this lower dose, the response in children was considered to have a 91% efficacy rate. The study can be found at this reference if you want more details.
All authorizing bodies in any country will continue to monitor the vaccine use in children and report any untoward effects. Many times, after a drug has significant use, reactions referred to as post-marketing concerns do show up but at the present time the following adverse effects have been reported (not all inclusive) :
Localized pain:~73%; redness ~17%
Fatigue:~37% versus 28% with placebo
Myalgia: 10% versus 7% with placebo
Serious adverse effects: 0 versus 1 with placebo
For children with type 1 diabetes, the symptoms of fatigue, pain or headache could affect blood sugar levels for the first 1-2 days, so be diligent about monitoring blood sugar levels more often, stay hydrated, and be familiar with your sick day routine.
As with any new medication, there is always the risk of a serious allergic reaction such as trouble breathing, hives developing, increase in heart rate or swelling in the face and throat. For this reason, all individuals are required to wait at least 15 minutes after the injection is administered. COVID-19 vaccines do not contain eggs, pork, gluten, latex, preservatives, antibiotics or aluminum. The product monograph states that allergic reactions usually occur within the first 15 minutes to one hour after administration. If you had a reaction to your first dose then consult an allergist/immunologist before getting the second dose. If you think you are having an allergic reaction call 911 immediately.
Myocarditis( an inflammation of the heart muscle)/pericarditis (inflammation of the lining outside of the heart has been reported most often in young males ages 16-19 years with 75% of these occurring after the second dose. These cases were considered to be mild and the patients recovered quickly.
If your child experiences any side effect, use a cool damp cloth for soreness and swelling and contact your pharmacist or doctor before using any over-the-counter medications.
At this time, there is no information indicating the vaccine will affect male or female fertility.
This reference provides some hints on talking to your child about receiving the vaccination.
As a parent don’t be afraid to have discussions with your child and the health-care team about the effectiveness and safety of the COVID-19 vaccine Be sure to keep your vaccination record up to date.
Health Canada has approved the use of the COVID-19 vaccine for children age 5 to less than 12 years old. The brand name is CoMirnaty. The dose is 0.2 ml (10mcg) injected into the deltoid muscle once every three weeks for a total of two doses three weeks apart. However, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommends the 2nd dose should be given at least eight (8) weeks after the first dose. I suggest you check with your provincial public health to find out the frequency policy.
Even though the child may have received two doses, they may not be optimally protected until at least seven (7) days after the second dose. Therefore, it is still important to continue with physical distancing, wearing masks, frequent hand washing and limiting contacts as much as is possible.
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References:
Links as in above document
Government of Canada Website November 24th,2021
The Safety and Efficacy of Covid-19 Vaccines for Youth- November 24th,2021
Beyond type1 -November 24th,2021
This document is for information purposes only. Always consult your health-care team before engaging in any health-related issues.
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