anakku juga hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism in Children with Down Syndrome

Information from Miriam Kauk

Join the Discussion "Do we have any parents of children with Down Syndrome who are also hypothyroid?" Participate Now Related Resources • Hypothyroidism in Infants and Children • Children W/Thyroid Disease Links • Getting What You Need From Your Dr: Challenges of Thyroid Care/ An Interview with "Doc Don" Michael, M.D From Other Guides • Down Syndrome / About Parenting • Down Syndrome in Children / Pediatrics Elsewhere on the Web • Interview with Miriam Kauk Re: Hypothyroidism and Down Syndrome • Miriam Kauk's Web Site • Living Well with Hypothyroidism.

by Mary J. Shomon

Miriam Kauk, a mother of a daughter with Down Syndrome who was also discovered to be hypothyroid is a patient advocate for Down Syndrome. There is a higher likelihood that their children will have underactive thyroids.

Down Syndrome, with its triplication of every gene on an entire chromosome, has been aptly characterized as a cacophony of metabolic errors. One known study reports autopsy findings of abnormal thyroids in virtually every case of Down Syndrome.

As hard as it may be for people with hypothyroidism to find physicians who will treat their condition, it is even harder to find a physician who is willing to intervene in the many treatable aspects of Down Syndrome.

Recommendations Miriam makes for parents of children with Down Syndrome are:

• Pay careful attention to nutritional status, as zinc and other nutrients that are necessary to healthy thyroids are typically low in DS.
• Insist on having bloodwork done to test for TSH, T3 and T4 levels
• Before you approach your doctor, make a careful record of symptoms, including basal body temperature, and changes in growth and function.
• Join nutritionally oriented DS mailing lists and talk to other parents who are seeing positive results in their own children