10 year old daughter - advice pls

[Emuflea]

My daughter is 10 and has fatigue, bad skin, trouble sleeping, constipation, anxiety. I’ve long thought she could have a thyroid problem. Is it ok to do a medichecks test or are there specific requirements due to her age? Are ranges the same?

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Emuflea

You can't do a Medichecks test for your daughter, they wont do tests for under 18s.

Blue Horizon will test under 18s, but why not, in the first instance, ask your GP to test, he may do more than just thyroid.

[Emuflea in reply to SeasideSusie]

Ok

[SlowDragon Administrator]

What’s her diet like

Is she a picky eater

Does she eat red meat

Ask GP to test for anaemia including ferritin, as well as thyroid, folate, B12 and vitamin D

[Emuflea in reply to SlowDragon]

She is a bit picky. Try to get a balance in tho. Will ask gp.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Emuflea]

Get actual results and ranges

If iron or ferritin are on low side …work on increasing iron rich foods in diet

Hiding liver in shepherds pie or spaghetti Bol etc

[Emuflea in reply to SlowDragon]

Good idea

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Emuflea]

as you have Hashimoto’s and her thyroid levels are low and her vitamin levels are low ….request GP test thyroid antibodies

[Emuflea in reply to SlowDragon]

hi here are the results. GP only concerned with the low white blood cells but ate the folate and ferritin a bit on the low side? They didn't do T3.

Test results

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Emuflea]

Ferritin is deficient - discuss with GP

Folate low

Start improving her diet

Low ferritin

Introduce liver once a week, more red meat etc

low folate

More Green leafy veg

No vitamin D test

NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £29 via

vitamindtest.org.uk

[Partner20]

Your GP us the one to discuss your concerns with, and they should test according to the symptoms your daughter is presenting with. Even if there were a way to privately test someone of child age, be aware that ranges and expectations for younger people are different from those of adults. Puberty and pre-teen hormones and psychological changes can have many physical repercussions, which may well resolve when these changes stabilise. Above all, don't induce health anxiety, as this can then be a lifelong condition. Hopefully you will find some answers and be able to manage this situation soon.

[Regenallotment in reply to Partner20]

Not sure I agree with this, things haven’t changed much in decades, I was fobbed off with ‘growing pains’ and maybe ‘a virus’ symptoms at 14-18 my Mum tried everything to help via GP and alternative meds, asking around in days before internet. That was 30 years ago and my poor dear old Mum (84 now) is gutted to discover that I had Hashimoto’s all along and her hunch of low vit D despite being outside 99% of my waking hours was bang on. I think getting on it with some Mamma hustle is no bad thing and as long as everything is presented to young people honestly, openly and without any drama they respond pretty well. ( I pastorally support around 60 teens a year via my job) above all they appreciate openness and not being fobbed off or told ‘it’ll resolve itself’ , it often doesn’t. They are also already wise to … try iron tablets and try getting a good nights sleep etc. They all talk they all know what xyz Mum, sister, aunt has been through. I agree GP is the correct way to go, I’d never dispense health advice to young people as I have no qualification to do so, I only advocate having agency, finding out more and asking lots of questions. Wishing you all the best 🦋💚🦋

[Emuflea in reply to Regenallotment]

I’ll use the gp but am well aware that women are not well served by western medicine/the nhs. I’ve been let down terribly and use a Polish doctor who has finally helped me feel much better.

[Kalm]

I would also test for gluten/ dairy intolerance.

[Emuflea in reply to Kalm]

Yes that needs investigating. I don’t feed them gluten at home.