How to treat infants with congenital hypothyroidism

Congenital hypothyroidism is a very common disease among infants. Once an infant is diagnosed with this disease, the harm is very great. If parents do not pay attention to treatment, it is likely to affect the child's future intellectual development. Therefore, once the baby is found to have abnormalities, he or she must be sent to the hospital immediately for active treatment. Many parents do not know the treatment methods. So let me introduce to you how to treat babies with congenital hypothyroidism.

1. Treatment of fetal hypothyroidism

Because the amniotic fluid turnover is fast and T3 and T4 are easily absorbed by the fetus, fetuses suspected of congenital hypothyroidism during prenatal examinations can be treated with intra-amniotic injection of T4 or T3, or thyroid hormones can be directly injected into the fetus. If the fetus is after 32 weeks, Na-L-T4 500 μg can be injected once every 2 weeks or 120 μg once a week.

2. Therapeutic dose: Generally, thyroid powder is used for treatment. The therapeutic dose must be individualized because each child reacts differently. After the start of treatment, follow-up should be conducted every 4 weeks. After serum FT4 and TSH return to normal, the frequency can be reduced to once every 3 months, and after 2 years of age, the frequency can be reduced to once every 6 months. During the follow-up, changes in blood FT4 and TSH, growth curve, IQ, bone age, etc. should be observed, and the dosage of the medication should be adjusted according to the situation. When the dosage of thyroid hormone is insufficient, the child's height and bone age will be delayed. If the dosage is too large, it will cause symptoms such as irritability, sweating, weight loss, abdominal pain and diarrhea, which must be paid attention to.

3. Levothyroxine sodium (L-T4) is the most effective drug for treating hypothyroidism. Thyroid powder (tablets) is made from the boar's thyroid gland by removing the connective tissue and fat. The standard iodine content of the preparation is 0.2%±0.03%. There is a certain difference in FT4 content between different batches.

4. Temporary hypothyroidism is suspected to be temporary hypothyroidism. Generally, regular treatment is required for 2 years, and then the medication should be stopped for 1 month to recheck the thyroid function. If the function is normal, the medication can be stopped and regular observation should be carried out.

5. The treatment of congenital hypothyroidism does not need to start with a small dose. It should be a sufficient dose at one time to maintain the blood T4 at a high normal level. For older patients with hypothalamic-pituitary hypothyroidism, thyroid hormone treatment needs to start with a small dose, and corticosteroids should be given at the same time as required physiological amounts to prevent sudden adrenal cortex failure.

The above is an introduction to how to treat infants with congenital hypothyroidism. After reading the article, we know that there are so many treatment methods. When a baby is found to have this disease, in order not to aggravate the condition, treatment must be sought as soon as possible. Parents must pay more attention to their children’s condition and accompany their children to actively receive treatment.