| Thyroid Disease in Children | | | | having been diagnosed with thyroid disease. In the past, |
| The thyroid is a very important, butterfly shaped gland | | | | it was discovered that lack of iodine in the diet, a |
| located just below the Adam's apple. It is important | | | | mineral found in seafood and milk, caused thyroid |
| because the two hormones it produces, | | | | problems because iodine is necessary for the body to |
| tri-iodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), control | | | | produce thyroid hormones. Because of this, most salts |
| necessary bodily functions such as physical growth | | | | made in the United States contain iodine. Another |
| and development, metabolism, puberty, organ function, | | | | factor could be thyroid blocking medications. |
| fertility and body temperature. | | | | Thyroid Cancer in Children |
| They control the body by controlling how fast organs | | | | Children can also develop thyroid cancer. The chance |
| should work and how fast the body uses energy. | | | | of a bump or nodule on a child's thyroid has a 30% |
| Unfortunately, these critical hormones can cause | | | | chance of being malignant, or harmful. Children who |
| problems when there is too much of them in the blood | | | | have had other forms of cancer are 50 times more |
| stream, called hyperthyroidism, or not enough in the | | | | likely to develop thyroid cancer as a reaction to |
| blood stream, called hypothyroidism. Children with | | | | radiation therapy. This can be hard to detect because |
| hyperthyroidism can have a fast heart rate, trembling | | | | tests for thyroid function will come back normal. A test |
| hands, and a wide-eyed stare. They might sweat a lot | | | | with fine needle aspiration is a fast and direct way to |
| and not be able to gain weight as they grow. | | | | see whether a nodule is benign or malignant. Tests |
| Children with hypothyroidism are lethargic and feel cold. | | | | called thyroid scans can also be helpful in the |
| Their hair may become brittle and their skin dry and | | | | evaluation of a thyroid nodule. An area that shows up |
| yellowish. Blood tests can show how many hormones | | | | "cold" (hypofunctioning) on the scan is likely much more |
| is the blood stream and if the thyroid is functioning. | | | | likely malignant. A :hot" (hyperfunctioning) area on the |
| How to Check for Thyroid Problems | | | | scan is almost invariably benign. |
| For children whose blood tests reveal they have | | | | The thyroid is an essential gland that controls the |
| thyroid disease, there are many suspected causes of | | | | organ function in the body. This gland can also |
| thyroid disease depending on age of the child that is | | | | malfunction in children because of family history with |
| diagnosed, family history, and diet. Babies can have | | | | disease or medications that block it's function, causing |
| thyroid disease because they lack a thyroid or | | | | many physical problems. A doctor can help you figure |
| because it didn't develop properly before birth. Often in | | | | out what adjustments to make to get the thyroid |
| older children there is family history of close relatives | | | | working again. |