8 year old with low thyroid function.. What medication should I try to get her?? I know they will just try and fob us off with levothyroxein

[Annie1981]

Hi my daughter has just had a blood test and it came back that she had low thyroid function they want us to go back for a blood test and have her antibodies checked then maybe start meds next week... Please can I have advice on the best support I can give her what I should ask and what meds are best please we are in the uk I want her to have a ndt not levothyroxeine as heard ndt is best

[shaws Administrator]

I am so sorry such a young child has hypothyroid, maybe hashimotos if she has antibodies. I will give you a link below re the latter two.

I am not sure how they treat children but I would think that they will provide levothyroxine alone. Levothyroxine is also called T4 which should convert to sufficient T3 which is the Active thyroid hormone which gives us our energy and good metabolism.

The British Thyroid Association state only levothyroxine is to be prescribed but most of the members of this forum are ones who don't do well on it and search for info. Many do well with the addition of T3 but, again, few Endocrinologists or doctors prescribe it. I don't know why, maybe the cost also comes into it as it used to be around £28 a month but has jumped to around £130 p.m. I, personally, do not agree with the BTA although many are o.k. on levothyroxine. Being so young, I don't think she will understand about clinical symptoms but you will most probably, by instinct, guess when she's not doing so well.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

This is a good book, or so I have heard from some members (I have hypothyroidism)and if your daughter has thyroid antibodies she will have an Autoimmune Thyroid Disease called hashimotos. Explanation above.

Always get a print-out of the blood tests, with the ranges, and post if you have any queries.

Natural Dessicated Thyroid hormones contain all of the hormones our body would have produced (T4, T3, T2, T1 and calcitonin) but, again, the BTA make false statements about it although it has been in use, successfuly, since 1892. Some Endocrinologists will prescribe but, again, I'm not sure if they would do so for children. I hope her GP checkes, B12, Vit D,iron, ferritin and folate as these have to be towards the upper range.

Best wishes.

[shaws Administrator]

I forgot to say that if she is put on levothyroxine and when she has her follow-up tests, she should not take levothyroxine before it but afterwards (not having eaten anything two hours before or after), otherwise is skews the TSH which the doctors seem to diagnose on it alone and not clinical symptoms.

Levo should be taken first thing with a glass of water and don't eat for around an hour (maybe shorter if child).

Don't every accept the word 'normal' when referring to the blood test results always post for comments.

Some doctors don't treat patients if they have antibodies and T4 and TSH are 'normal' but she should be given levo in order to try to halt the attack on the thyroid gland although she will become hypothyroid.

I missed this out from the response above:

thyroidlifestyle.com/

Regards

[Clutter]

Annie, why not see how Levothyroxine suits your daughter before trying anything else. Most people do very well on Levothyroxine despite the bad press it gets here. At 8 years old your daughter won't have symptoms that will have accrued from years of waiting for a diagnosis and can be expected to do well. If Levothyroxine doesn't suit you can always try NDT later but will probably have to buy it online as it isn't licensed in the UK and most NHS doctors won't prescribe it.

Ask her GP to test ferritin, vitamin D, B12 and folate as they often become low/deficient prior to a hypothyroid diagnosis.

[Clutter]

Annie, please sign and share this petition if you haven't already done so epetitions.direct.gov.uk/pe...

[Annie1981]

Hi thank you for taking the time to reply. Much appreciated. I was diagnosed last year and don't do well on Levo that's why I really wanted some advice.. I am gutted for my daughter that she has this and her symptoms were getting worse and worse I just want the best treatment for her. X

[Clutter in reply to Annie1981]

Annie, Levthyroxine may work well for your daughter even though it didn't for you. I also don't do well on Levothyroxine only but am well on Levothyroxine plus T3 combination and my sister is well on Levothyroxine only.

[gabkad in reply to Annie1981]

Can you get her urinary iodine checked? If she eats no dairy products, then she is possibly just low in iodine. Same goes for selenium. If she's vegetarian, then she could be low in selenium as well.

[Aurealis]

Hi Annie, sorry to hear about your daughters diagnosis. Most people can get well on Levothroxine and I did myself for 20 years before needing T3. Levo would be the least troublesome medication for a young growing person heading for the teenage years etc so I wouldn't avoid this, she deserves to try it. I think medics are very careful to ensure that treatment is more than adequate for young people as its crucial for the developing brain. I would think that the best thing you could do for your daughter is to monitor her carefully yourself and kick up a fuss if you have any inklings that she's undertreated. Keep in close contact with her doctor and keep them well informed about any possible symptoms. As she'll be growing her requirements will increase so your role will be crucial in keeping them informed in between standard checks. Good luck.

[faith63]

You need to find out why the tests show low thyroid first..she could have Hashimotos or low iodine levels. Thyroid meds were the last thing i would use on a child. My son had low thyroid symptoms, his TSH is 3..high rt3..he has food sensitivities it turns out. He felt ill on low doses of thyroid meds..stopped them right away.

[Annie1981]

Hi thank you everybody for the replys.. We are investigating why it is low first... She has a very healthy diet eats dairy and meat.. Her symptons are getting increasingly tired and moody and spots since she was 7 i thought she was going into puberty early

[Annie1981]

Petition signed x

[Redditch]

I think a Vitamin D3 test is essential here too.. does your little one get out every day and get plenty of outside play? we all get a bit short of D3 in the winter and it plays havoc with the thyroid

you'd be very lucky to get NDT on the NHS.. but you can get it privately.. My endo prescribes it to me

[Annie1981]

Hi yes she is out alot at school break and lunch then after school clubs doing sport and forest school plus when we go out.

[sisa1975]

Hi Annie,

Could you tell me please what was your daughter's TSH? I had my son tested for thyroid function when he was only 4 years old. His TSH came at 3.0, his FT3 was quite high 7.0 and he had some thyroid antibodies

(AntiTg 50, AntiTPO 28). We were told that all of these results were perfectly fine and his physical symptoms were ignored. My son is now 7 and half years old, I have him privately tested once a year. He still has a few physical symptoms. He has never taken any medication but I do give him daily vitamins as per our GP's advice. His TSH has not dropped below 2.5 in the last 3 years, the latest test TSH result (last summer) was 2.8 and again thyroid antibodies were present. I was wondering how high was your daughter's TSH if doctor's are happy to treat? Thank you.