Neonatal hypothyroidism, also known as congenital hypothyroidism, is a thyroid disorder that shows up at birth or shortly after. It can cause mental deficiency with neurological syndromes such as disorders of stance and gait, stunted growth, and disorders of hearing and speech. The good news is that neonatal hypothyroidism is one of the most treatable causes of mental retardation. Read on for ways to manage neonatal hypothyroidism.
Instructions
1. Prevent some cases of hypothyroidism by correcting iodine deficiency. Since severe iodine deficiency is one of the most common causes of neonatal hypothyroidism, taking steps to prevent it before birth could help in some cases.
2. Watch for symptoms that occur at birth. Poor feeding, hypothermia, and abdominal distension are some signs of neonatal hypothyroidism. Since most hospitals in the United States do T4 screenings to determine thyroid abnormalities at birth, hospital care is important shortly after birth if neonatal hypothyroidism is a possibility.
3. Ask your infant's doctor to screen your baby for thyroid conditions a few weeks after birth if your child fails to gain weight, is constipated, has dry or mottled skin, has an umbilical hernia, sleeps more and is less active than most newborns, or has respiratory distress. Some infants tested at birth don't show hypothyroidism for a few weeks because they're protected for a short time by hormones from their mother. Early detection and treatment is the key to normality for those with neonatal hypothyroidism. Follow up with further serum T4 testing for those with abnormal readings.
4. Ask the doctor about levothyroxine treatment, the most common treatment for neonatal hypothyroidism. Make sure tablets are used, as liquids aren't as stable.
5. Normalize thyroid hormones with thyrosine sodium treatment. Many doctors use thyrosine sodium treatment until growth is completed. Serum T and thyrosine sodium measurements should be evaluated at 2 months and 4 months. Evaluation should be every 1-2 months during the first year of life, every 2-3 months between the ages of 1 and 3, and every 3-12 months until growth is completed. The later the treatment is started, the lower the child's IQ will be, so immediate treatment is important.
6. Ask your doctor about imaging studies. Some doctors do ultrasounds of the thyroid and compare with later ultrasounds.
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