Shall i test the children?

[JCMartin]

Hi, wondering if my children need testing? Any thoughts? My 13yr old eats a lot and sleeps a lot - but she is a teanager. I also see that Autism and Hypo are linked? 2 of my kids have Autism. Sorry - am i posting too much!! My minds on overdrive.

[FallingInReverse]

Absolutely test the teenager! My daughter’s GP ordered a basic blood panel, thyroid panel and iron panel (with my guidance from this board as to what to include) when she complained of fatigue and constant headaches. Turns out she is significantly anemic.

I chalked it all up to being a teenager and waited from 13 - 16 years old to test. No reason to wait.

[Cazlook]

It certainly can't hurt, and there are many places you can get tests done nowadays. All my girls use t4 and t3 meds and I had to fight to get them tested, but they all have the same genes as me!

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Blue Horizon will test under 18’s

Need to pay for private blood draw rather than finger prick test

But try your GP first

[Forestgarden in reply to SlowDragon]

But I think you have to get bloods drawn at a specific London clinic if they're under 18.... I asked Blue Horizon about this recently

[J972]

Yes, absolutely. Had both of my teenagers tested last summer via their GP, ostensibly because their dad has B12 deficiency and his (private) consultant strongly suggested he had them tested. Our GP was happy to cooperate and threw in thyroid tests for good measure. Upshot is that eldest has Hashimoto’s plus woefully inadequate ferritin & folate. She’s now on levo and we’re supplementing all the core vits. I might add that she is also autistic.

[Buddy195 Administrator]

Yes I would do this, but keep it as low- key as possible, as you don’t want to cause additional stress and worry to family members.

[farrellkl68]

my now young adults , one female, one male both been tested and neither are hypo , despite me having a family history of it .

I guess diluted by their dad’s genes .

[RachelP03]

I have done Blue Horizon finger prick at home for my 10yo with no issues!

[JCMartin]

How does the finger prick work with the fasting and early morning test? Does anything dilute the results while its in the post? She wont want to go to London as she gets anxiety.

[Nomad12]

I got my daughter tested. Her levels were fine but good to know what the base line levels are before developing any problems, for most of us that is too late as we don't test until we have symptoms. We did it through Randox with a finger prick at home.

[JCMartin in reply to Nomad12]

Thanks. Did you just do TSH, T3 and T4?

[Nomad12 in reply to JCMartin]

No did Free T4, Free T3, Anti-TG and Anti-TPO. The randox test is very good value and tests everything - randoxhealth.com/en-GB/at-h...

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Nomad12]

Important to test vitamin levels too

[Nomad12 in reply to SlowDragon]

Very true. My daughters levels were all fine so didn't go any further, just a typical teenager who sleeps a lot 🤣 Tested her because my dad also has a thyroid issue, better to be safe then sorry I thought.

[FallingInReverse in reply to JCMartin]

JCMartin I would also reiterate for good measure that TSH is important to test. There is a lot of talk on this forum about how it's the least important - but that's because we are (mostly) all diagnosed here and/or on HRT, so that is true for us.

But for a euthyroid teenager, TSH could indeed be the first signal that their pituitary is working too hard for what might look like normal/optimal Free Ts.

Unfortunately, my daughter's Free Ts look awesome, but her TSH is indeed worrying my mommy heart. As Buddy195 notes above - especially given how teenagers are (which as a parent of one you know exactly what I mean lol) - less info is better. Just test, and as an adult/parent, make your determination on whether they need treatment or vitamin supplements. But in my personal opinion, there is no reason to worry them about what MIGHT be.

For example, I'm all in treating my daughter's iron deficiency, and getting her D levels up. I'll do all the worrying about watching her TSH, and only let her in on it when something may have to be done, if ever at all.

[JCMartin]

Thanks. Is there a blood test for all vitamin levels too?