Low Thyroid Level

Hi L.,
My son has been on synthroid since he was about 6 months old. For him his thyroid was working too hard to keep the numbers in the right range. He is on a very low dose and it really is no big deal. I give it to him with whatever he is eating for breakfast, or sneak it in with a few m&m's. He is now 5 and still a bundle of energy. I also have a friend whose daughter is about 14 who has been on it since birth.
Again, it has been no big deal for her. Good luck!

I, myself have hypothyroidism and I have a goiter on my thyroid. It really isn't that big of a deal to me. I take a pill every day and get blood work every now and again to check that my levels are doing ok. As far as a child goes...
What I have learned from my doc is that children "present" differently than we do. Meaning that their symptoms may be completely opposite of ours and they may have the same thing. I wouldn't be very worried. I imagine that the symptoms you are reading are for that of an adult and would simply not apply to children. If it is any consolation to you, I had an aunt that was born without a thyroid and she did just fine. I hope all works out. If I can be of any help or answer any questions for you about my own experience with hypothyroidism/goiter, you need only ask. I wish you and your son well. Please keep us updated here. Shannon G.

L.,
I have had problems with my thyroid for most of my life and take synthroid on a daily basis. This medication is just a synthetic hormone that is the replacement for what your body should be producing. The thyroid can affect many areas of one's body including height, weight, moods, sensitivity to hot or cold, brain function, etc. The list goes on and on. Be thankful they caught it early. From here on out it's just an easy blood test every 6 months or so to make sure his levels are correct. No need to freak out although I can certainly understand why you would. Just stay on top of it and he should be totally fine.

It is my understanding that thyroids can change on a daily basis and have been known to fluctuate during childhood and especially in the teen years. My personal view is that if it isn't causing symptoms, I wouldn't treat it and see if he grows out of it. I'd also worry that treating it now may affect the development of his thyroid gland (if you supplement for it, it won't learn to produce what it needs to in the long run). Obviously, this is all just my personal view, of course, and what I would do.

Hi L., a few years ago, our daughter passed out at school and was rushed to the ER. They found her heart showing signs of a problem and eventually diagnosed her with hashimotos hypothyroidism. They said she went 3 years with no thyroid function by doing a bone xray of her hand. We started seeing an endocrinologist and they put her on synthroid and she will be on it the rest of her life. Its inexpensive and she does great with it but I have noticed when her levels get a little high, her behavior gets sort of crazy so I have to keep an eye on that. Her heart is all better and its not as scary to me as it was at first now. Then last week, I had a thyroid scan and was diagnosed with Graves disease which is also autoimmune but it makes the thyroid too high, so now we know where she got it from. :) your son will be fine, he may have to take a very inexpensive med every day for a while and have his levels checked but its very easily managed. I am here if you need to talk:) good luck!! -K.

low thyroid would mean his thyroid is producing too much TSH, or essentially that his metabolism is faster than it should be. I wouldn't worry as you caught it early enough. May just be a daily synthroid med doseage - and he will be just fine! May be something his body regulates on his own too!

Hang in there and let us know how it turns out!

Make SURE you do your homework as to how various nutrients are influenced in thyroid function. BE EMPHATIC about getting these nutrients into the diet. In addition, exercise will become a vital part of his lifestyle.

I was diagnosed w/ hypothyroidism at 10. I"m now 51 and only weigh 9 pounds more than I did in the fourth grade!! I DO NOT take medication. Did until I was in 7th grade and decided at that age I DIDN'T want to take meds the rest of my life.

Won a national masters bodybuilding championship at 42. If I can do it.....so can anyone else. You just have to do your homework and life according to how the body can heal itself! NO NEED for freaking out!!! Just look it as an opportunity to learn and overcome!