By the year 2060, cases of children with type 2 diabetes are expected to go up by 673%.

One Valley pediatrician said he’s been noticing an increase in these cases since the pandemic hit three years ago.

The trend has continued ever since.

“I don't know if it's a relation to Covid or not, or they're staying home in Covid lockdown eating a lot of food without any exercise or activities,” Valley Baptist Medical Center Chief of Staff Dr. Asim Zamir said. “It's an ongoing thing, every case is different."

Before the pandemic, Zamir said he was diagnosing at least one teenage pediatric patient every three to six months. Now he sees three kids every month.

Among Zamir’s patients is 6-year-old Joshua Huizar, who has type 1 diabetes.

The disease can have major health effects if it's not managed.

“We know that if we don't control the diabetes very well then his kidneys, his eyes, are going to be effected,” Zamir said. “And that's the concern. The ongoing process of managing the diabetes and controlling the sugar is a very difficult job."

The job often falls on the shoulders of parents with young children living with the disease.

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