Especially when their kids are overweight though, parents often think that their kids must have a hormonal problem and that something is wrong with their thyroid gland.
While children with thyroid problems can be overweight, it is important to keep in mind that these children are typically short, while kids who are overweight because they eat too much or exercise too little are usually tall...
Sleeping a lot is another common symptom that bring parents to their Pediatrician looking for a thyroid problem. While that symptom usually deserves looking at your child's thyroid function tests, without other symptoms, they are likely to be normal and you might look for obstructive sleep apnea, depression, mono, etc., as other possible causes.
Reviewing some of the common signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism can help you to know when to get thyroid function tests ordered for your child and when to look for another cause for your child's symptoms.
Symptoms of Hypothyroidism
- short stature or deceleration of growth
- rough, dry skin
- constipation
- cold intolerance
- fatigue, decreased energy
- sleeping more
- delayed bone age on xray
- delayed puberty (teens)
- galactorrhea (white breast discharge)
- pseudoprecocious puberty (younger children)
- headaches
- vision problems
Symptoms of Hyperthyroidism
- emotional lability, with your child being more likely to cry easily, be irritable and excitable, etc.
- short attention span
- finger tremor
- increased appetite
- weight loss, failure to thrive
- enlarged thyroid gland (goiter)
- exophthalmos (protruding eyes)
- upper eyelid lag
- infrequent blinking
- flushed skin
- excessive sweating
- muscle weakness
- tachycardia and palpitation
- high blood pressure
- thyroid storm
References
- Behrman: Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics, 17th ed.
