Do you know the symptoms of hypothyroidism? Do you have an overweight friend who indulges in too much food, but blames their overeating on their thyroid? Many people do not believe that the thyroid is the reason that some people eat too much or are “lazy”.

Your friend may indeed have hypothyroidism, a thyroid gland disease that affects millions of people. Hypothyroidism is sometimes caused by a deficiency in iodine. An autoimmune disease, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis can also lead to thyroid problems. Other thyroid problems include a lack of a thyroid gland, a postnatal condition called postpartum thyroidits, and a deficiency in hormones coming from the pituitary gland or hypothalamus, a part of the brain.

Hypothyroidism symptoms include:
• Gaining weight
• Extreme tiredness
• Weakness in the muscles
• Poor performance in school or in mental concentration
• Teeth develop slowly
• Slow puberty signs
• Goiter (a condition where the thyroid gland in the front neck is enlarged)
• Sadness or depression
• Speech is slow
• Dry, brittle hair
• Constipation
• Skin is dry
• Cramps in muscles

Hypothyroidism and Children

Some babies may be born with thyroid problems. Sometimes hypothyroidism comes along when you are older, depending on how and why the disease has developed. Babies and young children may have to live with and treat the disease for the rest of their lives.

Congenital hypothyroidism, (CH) is a the most common condition that may show up when the baby is born. In CH, the thyroid gland may be under developed, in the wrong place in the body, or just doesn‘t produce the hormones it should. A transient form of the disease may also occur, sometimes caused by the birth mother, who was being treated for Grave’s Disease during her pregnancy. This transient form often time disappears within a few months.

Older children, more often girls than boys, may be affected by an acquired form of hypothyroidism, which may affect the child for many years. This could very well be the results of Hashimoto‘s disease, an autoimmune thyroid disease.

PKU (phenylketonuria) or a blood test can be performed to check if a newborn child has hypothyroidism. This test can check if the child has any other health issues as well.

Since infants don‘t show symptoms of a thyroid disease, it is important to have the child tested as soon as possible so that treatment can be administered. If a baby‘s knees are not developed per-normal, x-rays of their knees and legs will be taken. This is another way to check for hypothyroidism in children.

To help determine if a child has problems with their thyroid, if is important to scan the child for an absent, improperly formed, or mis-located thyroid gland. Early detection and treatment of thyroid disease can save from any further damage.