The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of the throat, right below Adam's apple. It secretes thyroid hormones, which help control the body's metabolic needs, including temperature regulation and as well as how fast the body spends its energy supply. Thyroid levels in children can be too low, a condition called hypothyroidism, or too high, called hyperthyroidism.
Causes of Hypothyroidism
One of the causes of abnormal thyroid levels in children is iodine deficiency. According to the American Thyroid Association, iodine deficiency is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the world. Iodine is an integral element in the production of thyroid hormone. Iodine deficiency is rare in the United States and much of the developed world because iodine is added to table salt.
Causes of hyperthyroidism
Children with high thyroid hormone levels usually have Graves' disease. This condition results from overstimulation of the thyroid gland. Another cause of hyperthyroidism is thyroid nodules, which can be cancerous and secrete excess thyroid hormone, although rare in children.
Symptoms
The symptoms of low thyroid hormone levels in children include fatigue, sluggishness, constipation, increased sensitivity to cold temperatures, pale skin and abnormal weight gain. Children born with congenital hypothyroidism run the risk of developmental delay and mental retardation.
Children with high thyroid levels have symptoms such as abnormal weight loss, elevated heart rate with palpitations and skipped beats, increased appetite, profuse sweating, irritability and hyperactivity.
Treatment
Low thyroid level is treated with a synthetic thyroid hormone supplement. It takes about two weeks for the drug to start working and for thyroid hormone levels to stabilize. For hyperthyroidism, the treatment depends on the cause. Anti-thyroid drugs can interfere with the incorporation of iodine into the thyroid hormone, making it less active. Occasionally, partial removal of a segment of the thyroid works in children with high levels of thyroid hormone.
Prevention/Solution
Inclusion of iodine in table salt has greatly decreased the incidence of iodine deficiency and thyroid disease in children in the U. S. and other developed countries. Likewise, the newborn screen, the blood test that every newborn undergoes in in U.S., screens for the presence of hypothyroidism, which can prompt early diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
