Content:

• Reasons for development
• Symptomatology
• Treatment of hyperplasia in children

In the childhood of each child, the endocrine system plays an important role. Of particular importance is the thyroid gland, which is responsible for the growth and development of your baby. If there are any disorders associated with the thyroid gland, a negative impact on health cannot be avoided.

Thyroid hyperplasia is a pathology that is characterized by an increase in the volume of the thyroid gland, resulting in certain factors.

Reasons for development

Thyroid hyperplasia in children should be examined by a specialist endocrinologist who, after certain tests, will prescribe the appropriate treatment.

Many experts on the background of studies of childhood hyperplasia claim that the phenomenon occurs on the basis of iodine deficiency.

In addition, the provoking factors are:

• Polluted ecology (if in your city there are a lot of factories and exhaust gases, you should think about moving);
• Hereditary transmission of pathology (if ancestors or immediate relatives had this pathology – it is more likely that your child will also suffer);
•  Radiation exposure of the body.

Do not forget that the pathology is benign, however, it is not worth putting off the treatment “in the far box”.

Symptomatology

One of the first signs of hyperplasia is a strong enlargement of the thyroid gland. You will notice that the neck is very swollen and without timely treatment this can lead to difficulty breathing and swallowing.

Other symptoms:

fatigue and constant weakness;

•  sharp loss of appetite;
•  memory loss;
• a change in voice becomes hoarse;
•  pain when swallowing;
•  low immunity, especially in the cold season;
• mood changes;
• weight changes (usually leads to an increase);
• depression;
• growth retardation;
• earlier or later sexual development;
• hypothyroidism effects.

Hyperplasia can also lead to mental retardation and stunted growth in children. In children from the age of 2 years, pathology is difficult to detect visually, so if you notice at least one of the listed symptoms, contact the hospital for an examination. In older children, the thyroid gland is greatly increased (this phenomenon is called goiter).

An increased risk of thyroid disease in children causes hypothyroidism in pregnant women. Untreated hypothyroidism during pregnancy can lead to a decrease in body weight at birth, and then in his life physical and mental abnormalities and stunted growth.

Treatment of hyperplasia in children

The treatment of hyperplasia in children is based on the oral administration of levothyroxine, which replaces thyroid hormone thyroxine (T4). Due to the fact that the child’s body is not able to produce a sufficient amount of thyroid hormones, they are given externally in the form of medications.

During treatment, pathologies should periodically check the state of thyroid hormones in the blood. In addition, the treatment of hyperplasia in children requires special attention when it comes to time and type of nutrition, as some products may interfere with the absorption of levothyroxine from the gastrointestinal tract, for example, high protein foods. The use of hormonal drugs for treatment can also weaken the digestive function, leading to celiac disease.

Sometimes, despite normal medical practice, it is not possible to obtain the proper level of thyroid hormones in the blood. Thus, in patients with difficulty absorbing levothyroxine and a complete absence of thyroid preparations, a combination of levothyroxine and triiodothyronine (T3) is used. As an aid in the treatment of hypothyroidism in children, iodine preparations are used.