Modern children and adolescents, unlike the past centuries, are increasingly suffering from special diseases typical of adults or not previously occurring. Pathology of the thyroid gland in adolescence is no longer a rarity, as in children of a fairly early age. And this is not only hypothyroidism due to iodine deficiency, but also various neoplasms, such as nodular goiter, cyst, tumor. Where do cysts in the area of the thyroid gland in adolescence and in children come from, what are the causes and mechanisms of their development?
Why do children develop cysts?
In many ways, diseases of the thyroid gland and hormonal metabolism disturbances are formed due to a dramatic change in the ecological situation around children associated with severe environmental pollution. Also relevant are problems with nutrition and the lack of essential minerals in it, excess solar activity and numerous other external and internal factors that affect the body. children Often, predisposition to thyroid gland diseases or their rudimentary forms develop even in utero, especially if the future mothers before the pregnancy or during it itself suffer from problems with this organ.
A cyst in the area of the thyroid gland occurs infrequently in childhood, making up no more than 1% of all diseases of this organ. Usually it has a functional nature, connected with an imbalance of hormones produced by the tissues of an organ, less often these are organic changes in the gland.However, such cyst most dangerous in terms of further malignancy (transition to cancer). Why is this happening?
Features of the thyroid gland and the formation of cysts in children
If we consider in detail the anatomy, then the thyroid gland in childhood is significantly different in structure from the adult, it is smaller in weight, while in size it will be relatively larger. In addition, children have a more extensive network of lymphatic vessels in the neck, and the thyroid gland itself is more active in them. This is due to the fact that it is responsible for the production of hormones that regulate protein metabolism, the activity of the heart and blood vessels, as well as many other functions within the body.
The cyst in the area of the thyroid gland can develop in children as a result of the existing autoimmune process occurring in the chronic variant, and also as a complication of acute suppurative inflammation of the gland, focal or diffuse non-purulent process. A cyst can also occur if the thyroid gland is injured when it hits or falls.
A special variant of the formation of cysts is adolescence with sharp fluctuations in hormones, including those produced by the body itself. Iodine deficiency and poor nutrition in general, in which hormones cannot be fully synthesized, have a certain influence, and the gland is actively growing in size in order to correct this condition.
Manifestations in children
Often, children do not make any complaints at the initial stage, and the cyst grows asymptomatically, being detected during examinations for a completely different reason. With a sufficiently large education, children may complain of discomfort in the throat area if the neck organs are compressed. There may also be tickling sensations, a frequent and dry cough with no signs of a cold, problems with swallowing food and fluids, shortness of breath, or increased breathing. Also, with large sizes of cysts, deformations of the neck may be noticeable, children become irritable and capricious, tearful. If the cyst squeezes the laryngeal area, there may be a loss of voice.
Cysts in adolescence
A special option is a cyst that affects the thyroid gland during adolescence. This is a time of rapid growth, when both hormones of the thyroid gland and sex and growth hormones are actively produced. It is adolescence that is the most critical time for failures in the work of this body and various neoplasms in it. Often the causes are iodine deficiency, the influence of external environmental factors and a decrease in the activity of the gland itself as a result of various influences. Because of this, the metabolic process suffers, and adolescence is accompanied by various problems in health. Slowed growth and ossification of the skeleton, building muscle and the development of the nervous system.
Not always, these processes are associated with thyroid dysfunctions, which leads to advanced stages of pathology. Often, cysts are found during routine inspections or during examinations for other reasons. About 80% of these formations are colloidal nodes and cysts, and although they rarely degenerate into cancer, it is quite possible. Today, the number of cases of thyroid cancer in adolescence has increased 20 times compared with the last century.
Methods for diagnosing cysts
When detecting suspicious formations in the neck in children or adolescents, first of all, you need to contact a pediatrician or endocrinologist. The doctor will examine the neck, feel the gland, talk in detail with the parents and the child about the possible causes of such education. Next, it is necessary to determine the nature of this formation, for which an ultrasound examination of the gland is shown, as well as a biopsy. Usually, the material for research is obtained by puncture of the formation of a thin needle, by collecting a small amount of tissue.
In addition, the full cycle of laboratory diagnostics is shown – these are general blood and urine tests, a biochemical study and the hormonal profile of the thyroid gland. Doctors determine the level of hormones of the thyroid gland itself – these are T3 and T4, as well as the level of specific tropic hormones of the pituitary gland – TSH. In addition, sometimes it will also be necessary to study specific indicators – thyroglobulin and antibodies to thyroperoxidase, if there is a suspicion of the autoimmune nature of the changes. According to the results of all the research conducted, the nature of the cyst and the tactics of its treatment are determined, whether it will be a surgical or conservative method of therapy.