Hypothyroidism is a condition of the body, with certain disorders of the thyroid gland function.
The thyroid gland produces hormones important for metabolism. Triiodothyronine and thyroxine during growth affect the development of the osseous system and nervous tissue. The hormone thyrocalcitonin is responsible for the accumulation of calcium. In adulthood, these hormones regulate energy processes (heat regulation, energy for the activity of organs and systems). Hypothyroidism occurs if the thyroid gland ceases to produce these hormones or the hypothalamic-pituitary system affecting the hormone production of the thyroid gland is damaged. Depending on the causes of thyroid dysfunction and which hormone is not produced enough, the following types of hypothyroidism are distinguished: subclinical hypothyroidism, congenital hypothyroidism, primary hypothyroidism, secondary, tertiary and tissue hypothyroidism. Treatment of hypothyroidism depends on its type, the causes of the onset, the age of the patient. When thyroid gland lesions are autoimmune, hypothyroidism can develop at any age (for example, due to chronic autoimmune thyroiditis). Hypothyroidism in children can lead to serious developmental abnormalities, therefore, if symptoms are found, it is necessary to begin treatment immediately, especially infants.
Symptoms of hypothyroidism in newborns
With congenital thyroid dysfunction, symptoms of hypothyroidism can be seen from the first days. The main signs of hypothyroidism are a hoarse cry, puffiness of the face, eyelids, low temperature, dry skin, severe jaundice, weak sucking reflex. Subclinical (compensated) hypothyroidism in children is practically not observed, since this species is characteristic of older age groups. Hypothyroidism in children can lead to disruption of bone growth and brain development. If you detect and treat hypothyroidism in the early stages, you can avoid such consequences as cretinism, backwardness in development. Modern technologies allow not only to detect the disease in time, but also give very high results in the treatment of hypothyroidism in children.
When hypothyroidism occurs in adults, lethargy, drowsiness, swelling of the face and extremities, dry skin, brittle nails and hair loss, a feeling of chills, memory loss occur.
In the presence of symptoms of hypothyroidism, children undergo special diagnosis, after which they are prescribed appropriate treatment.
Treatment of hypothyroidism in children
Treatment of hypothyroidism is most often complex, and consists of substitution therapy. Depending on the situation, synthetic thyroid hormones are prescribed, replenishing the lack of necessary natural hormones. The drug and dosage prescribed individually, depending on the age, body weight, and the type of hormone, the development of which is broken. When changing the drugs, be careful with the dosage, as in every drug there is a different content of the hormone. A neglected disease in children can lead to irreversible consequences. Also, do not experiment with folk remedies for hypothyroidism in toddlers - lost time can significantly affect the child's further development. Adults can try to be treated with folk medicine, because of the fact that the violation of hormone production after
Despite the development of technology, people suffering from hypothyroidism have to regularly compensate for violations of hormone production during their lifetime. However, medicine has made a great breakthrough in the treatment of children, thanks to which children are not different in development from their peers and can live a full life.