Think Thyroid

Thyroid Trigger Times

There are several key points during life when the risk of thyroid disease increases, and testing should take place.

Birth

One out of every four to five thousand babies born in the U.S. has [link url=http://thyroid.about.com/library/weekly/aa010201a.htm]congenital hypothyroidism[/link]. Fortunately, screening for hypothyroidism is done routinely in North America on all newborns during the standard heel stick test. But parents should always double check with an infant's pediatrician to ensure that this test was done, and results normal. Should hypothyroidism develop in an infant, the main symptoms are typically failure to gain weight, fatigue, a hoarse cry, and other symptoms outlined in the article, Hypothyroidism in Infants and Children.

Childhood Through Adolescence

Thyroid problems can also appear during childhood and adolescence. Most common symptoms include failure to grow at normal rates, weight changes, difficulty concentrating and inattentiveness in school, hyperactivity or even a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, unexplained daytime fatigue. Since thyroid disease runs in families, children who come from families with a history of thyroid disease are especially at risk.

Infertility

Women who have unexplained fertility problems, or recurrent miscarriages, should have their thyroid evaluated. See the article Fertility, Infertility and Thyroid Disease: Frequently Asked Questions on How to Get Pregnant With a Thyroid Condition for more information and on this connection.

Pregnancy

Recent studies have shown that untreated thyroid disease during pregnancy may negatively impact a child's psychological development, resulting in a lower I.Q. score and a decrease in motor skills, attention, language and reading abilities. See [link url=http://thyroid.about.com/library/weekly/aa081999.htm]Babies Born to Hypothyroid Mothers Have Lower I.Q.'s[/link] for more information.

Other studies suggest that pregnant women with hypothyroidism have a four-times greater risk for miscarriage during the second trimester. See [link url=http://thyroid.about.com/library/weekly/aa112100a.htm]Hypothyroidism Increases the Risk of Miscarriage[/link]. According to the AACE, six out of every 100 miscarriages may be associated with autoimmune thyroid disease during pregnancy. AACE advises expectant mothers to take a TSH test before pregnancy or as part of the standard prenatal blood work.

Post-Partum/After Childbirth

The period after childbirth are frequently a time when thyroid problems appear. Unfortunately, fatigue, hair loss, anxiety, increased heart rate, weight changes, depression and difficulty breastfeeding may be written off as normal post-partum problems, or assumed to be post-partum depression, rather than a thyroid condition. Post-partum thyroid problems can occur during the first few weeks after the baby is born, and can continue for up to a year. A TSH test will pinpoint postpartum thyroiditis and medication will return thyroid function to normal, and often reverses the depression. For more information, read, Postpartum Thyroid Problems -- Frequently Asked Questions About Thyroid Problems After Pregnancy

Menopause

Menopause is a period when thyroid problems frequently appear. Unfortunately, menopause and thyroid disease have many symptoms in common -- mood swings, depression, sleep disturbances, fatigue, forgetfulness, weight gain, change in hair, skin, and nails. So many women with thyroid problems may be told they are perimenopausal, or menopausal, rather than getting tested, diagnosed, and treated for an undiagnosed thyroid condition. For more information, read: [link url=http://thyroid.about.com/library/weekly/aa040599.htm]Thyroid Disease and Menopause[/link].

Senior Years

For some older people, men and women alike, the golden years of life are not what they expected, due to the onset of symptoms such as fatigue, depression, forgetfulness, insomnia, and changes in appetite and weight. Most seniors erroneously assume that these feelings are a natural part of aging, when in fact these may be signs of an underlying thyroid condition. Seniors who report these symptoms to their doctors may be misdiagnosed with depression or even mild dementia. AACE underscores that aging, in the absence of disease, should not automatically be associated with the above symptoms. Since incidence of thyroid disease increases with age, and almost 20 percent of women over the age of sixty have some form of thyroid disease, TSH testing is particularly important for this age group.

Next Step: Check Your Neck!

As a first step, AACE recommends that everyone perform a simple self-examination to detect an enlarged thyroid gland. To find out how, read [link url=http://thyroid.about.com/c/ht/00/07/How_Thyroid_Neck_SelfCheck0962932957.htm]How To Do a Thyroid Neck Self-check[/link]. If you find anything unusual in your neck check, the next step is a visit to the doctor for a thorough thyroid evaluation.