Thyroiditis symptoms
Symptoms, can be an expression of a reduced function of the thyroid as reduced rate of growth, or a decrease in school or work performance or an unjustified fatigue.
The presence of concentration’s difficulty, mild depression, an unwarranted fatigue, a reduction in the rate of growth could be signs of thyroiditis, a fairly common disease in children and adolescents. The thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped gland located in the front of the neck.
The thyroid regulates many body functions: brain activity (concentration, memory), growth, muscle strength, digestion and metabolism. This gland produces thyroid hormones that are released into the blood and regulated by the hormone TSH.
TSH is produced by the pituitary, a gland at the base of the brain, the very center of the entire endocrine system regulation. It can be considered the star who gives rhythm to our body. It is where this function maybe eithr reduced (hypothyroidism) or increased (hyperthyroidism); we talk instead about euthyroid when the amount of thyroid hormones FT3 and FT4 are sufficient for body needs.
At first the symptoms of hypothyroidism are often vague and easily confused with normal tiredness or anxiety; then if nothing is done, drowsiness, difficulty concentrating, constipation, feeling cold, dry skin. We may see an increase in thyroid gland (goiter) that protrudes in front of the neck, causing discomfort in swallowing, choking and sometimes, even pain.
Congenital and acquired hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism can be congenital or acquired. Congenital hypothyroidism is relatively rare, and fortunately, is diagnosed at birth with a mandatory test for all newborns.
The cause of congenital hypothyroidism is the partial or total absence of the thyroid or the ectopic location (ie. in a different location from the natural one).
"Acquired hypothyroidism is much more common and is one of the most common endocrine disorders in children. It occurs primarily during adolescence and in women" says Professor Giuseppe Chiumello, long time director of The Child and Adolescent Endocrinology Center of the State University of Milan and the University Vita-Salute San Raffaele in Milan.