Primary care physicians can play an important role in managing thyroid disease in children and teens by proactive screening and evaluation, based on data from a literature review of 83 articles published between Jan. 1, 2010, and Dec. 31, 2015. The review was published online Aug. 29 in JAMA Pediatrics.
“Early diagnosis and treatment of thyroid hormone deficiency is crucial to ensure normal development and cognition,” wrote Dr. Patrick Hanley of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and his colleagues.
Thyroid dysgenesis accounts for 80%-85% of cases of primary congenital hypothyroidism, and many newborns with the condition are asymptomatic at birth because of protection by maternal thyroid hormones. Early signs of thyroid problems include a hoarse cry, prolonged jaundice, lethargy, poor feeding, and constipation, the researchers said (JAMA Pediatr. 2016. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2016.0486).
“Once the diagnosis has been made, additional testing can be considered to determine the etiology of the hypothyroidism so that the family can receive anticipatory guidance in regard to the potential need for lifelong thyroid hormone replacement therapy,” the researchers wrote.
The treatment of choice for congenital hypothyroidism is levothyroxine at a starting dose of 10-15 mcg/kg once daily, they noted.
Read the full study here: http://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?doi=10.1001/jamapediatrics.2016.0486.