Understanding childrens thyroid results and where to go for help.

[PaulaG]

I have just been given my son's thyroid test results and need help understanding them.Can anyone suggest a specialist in Scotland?

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

I guess you saw the link I posted the other day?

pathology.bsuh.nhs.uk/Patho...

Remember, that is for only one laboratory and each might have its own ranges.

I really feel that I know nothing about the special problems of children with thyroid issues.

Rod

[PaulaG in reply to helvella]

I have checked out the ranges at this path.lab,thanks.

I have also received some of my son's test results to check against the ranges.

I see there are very few questions/comments on Thyroid UK about children with thyroid problems,why is that?Where should I go to find out more about problems experienced by children?

Thanks Paula

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to helvella]

Paula,

I really don't know why there are so few. And worse, I do not know where else to go in the UK.

I know that from my position, all my reading has been focussed on adult thyroid. But at the same time I have become acutely aware that the differences between adult and child are complex, profound and potentially misleading. The very last thing I would wish to do is to give suggestions based on adults and them have unwanted consequences.

It might be worth contacting organisations such as:

cafamily.org.uk/

If nothing else they might be able to suggest where else to ask.

Rod

[PaulaG in reply to helvella]

Rod,

Thanks I will pursue.

I agree that the experience children have is very different to adults,as they don,t seem to have the reserves of an adult.This means,in our case,they go down-hill rapidly and consequences can then be very serious indeed.

Many thanks for you help,

Paula

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to helvella]

My first realisation of the difference were the typical test results and dosing regimes for newborns.

I always wonder about the thyroid hormone binding mechanisms in people who are especially prone to drop levels suddenly. Seems to me the normal mechanisms working properly should protect against that. But if anything, from amount of binding proteins through the actual binding/unbinding mechanisms or the control mechanisms, if any of these is not working right it could compromise resilience.

Rod