CHILDREN’S THYROID DISORDERS: SYMPTOMS, CARE, PRECAUTIONS

AND TREATMENT

Signs and symptoms

Hypothyroidism. When the thyroid is underactive at birth, it’s not usually apparent for a few weeks. When the condition finally does become apparent, it causes excessive sleepiness, choking while nursing, severe constipation, and noisy breathing. After three to six months it is obvious that the child’s growth rate is retarded. In addition, the child has a protruding tongue; thick, dry skin; and a hoarse cry. When the thyroid becomes underactive later in childhood it slows growth and causes constipation, sleepiness, and thick, dry skin. An underactive thyroid may or may not be associated with goitre (enlargement of the thyroid gland)

Hyperthyroidism. Overactive thyroid usually develops between the ages of ten and 15. Sometimes, however, it may occur in children as young as one or two. An overactive thyroid causes irritability, restlessness, behavior problems, tremors of the hands, increased appetite without weight gain, excessive sweating, and protruding eyeballs. Overactive thyroid is sometimes accompanied by goitre.

Because all symptoms of over- and underactive thyroid can result from other conditions not related to the thyroid, laboratory tests are essential to the diagnosis.

Home care

Home care involves taking your child to your doctor for routine checkups and watching for the symptoms of a thyroid malfunction.

Precautions

• Symptoms of underactive thyroid may occur in older children, especially adolescents, who have normal thyroid function. Only your doctor can determine if the thyroid is malfunctioning.

• A child who has a cyst on the neck should not have it removed until the doctor has determined that the cyst is not actually the thyroid gland in an abnormal position.

Medical treatment

Your doctor will establish the diagnosis on the basis of a physical examination, which includes measuring the child’s blood pressure, and laboratory tests that measure thyroid and pituitary hormone levels in the blood. The doctor may also order a test to determine how well the thyroid absorbs radioactive iodine; this may be necessary to evaluate function and look for tumours of the thyroid.

Treatment of an underactive thyroid involves prescribing synthetic thyroid or thyroid hormones for the child to take by mouth. Treatment of an overactive thyroid involves either medication or surgical removal of part of the thyroid gland.

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