HI & Newly Diagnosed 4yr old with Graves

[e's mom]

Hello Everyone,

I would just like to say Hi! My 4yr old was diagnosed with Graves in March. She has started treatment with methimazole and atenenol. We go back Monday for her 2nd endo appt. Its very scary to see your baby girl go through all of this. I am looking for any other parents that have kids that have gone through this!??!

[Lovlkn]

Hello Everyone,

I would just like to say Hi! My 4yr old was diagnosed with Graves in March. She has started treatment with methimazole and atenenol. We go back Monday for her 2nd endo appt. Its very scary to see your baby girl go through all of this. I am looking for any other parents that have kids that have gone through this!??!

Hi e's mom,

Welcome - I am sorry for the circumstances.

They are treating your daughter with the right medications which is a good thing.

You need to get copies of all lab work they have run on her and start a file.

I know of another woman whose son was diagnosed with Graves and he is now in remission - she could shed alot of light for you.

If you do a google search for boatkitten some of her postings come up and you may be able to join the group for Kids with Graves that she posts on.

:hugs:

[GD Women]

I don't have children so can't be much help. However, I am sorry that your 4 yr. old has to have Graves'. Not only is or can this disease be rough for adults but more so for children. They are so young innocent and can't realize what is going on or happening to them. Can be rough for the Graves' child family as well. Seeing their child going though this illness and feeling helpless to cure their child. Below are some links that might help you and your 4 yr. olds journey through Graves' encase you haven't read anything yet.

God Bless!

The MAGIC Foundation - The Magic Foundations Thyroid Disorders in Children & More
http://www.magicfoundation.org/www

Invisible Illness - Thyroid Conditions entry
http://www.chronicillness.org.au/invisible/thyroid_b.htm

eMedicine - Hyperthyroidism : Article by Cydney L Fent
Hyperthyroidism in childrenemedicine
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/921707-overview

eMedicine - Graves Disease : Article by Robert J Ferry, Jr, MD
Graves disease as a cause of thyrotoxicosis
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/920283-overview

The treatment of Graves' disease in children
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17128557

Predicting the Likelihood of Remission in Children With Graves
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/peds.2007-1535v1

[Andros]

Hello Everyone,

I would just like to say Hi! My 4yr old was diagnosed with Graves in March. She has started treatment with methimazole and atenenol. We go back Monday for her 2nd endo appt. Its very scary to see your baby girl go through all of this. I am looking for any other parents that have kids that have gone through this!??!

Oh, I am so so sorry to hear this. That poor little girl. Sounds like she has a great mom though and that is huge plus!

I think we do have some posters w/ children who have Graves so hopefully, they will be along to offer experience and advice.

No matter what happens, we can offer lots of support and here is a very credible chapter you may wish to read.....

http://www.thyroidmanager.org/Chapter15/15-frame.htm

Welcome to the board. We will help however we can.

[nasdaqphil]

Hello and welcome!

I am curious how your daughter was diagnosed? Was she showing symptoms? If so, what were they?

Just curious. My mom had hashi's, my uncle's got Graves', I have both and my 6 year old son is a nervous nelly and always has a very high heart rate but the docs think its just from him being very active and nervous in the office. I doubt my son has Graves' at this point and I pray he never does but I am curious how you found out about it.

Thanks!

[e's mom]

It was actually an accident she was diagnosed. We have no thyroid problems in our family so it was no concern. I took her to her well child check and the new Dr in the clinic had her look up to the ceiling and noticed a large goiter in the neck area. Not really thinking too much into it she ordered a thyroid test. I guess some goiters can form when a child has a iodine salt deficiency, not enough salt in the diet. Which can be treated with diet. That is what she was thinking it was but when the tests came back it was a surprise to her that is actually was thyroid problem. Her hormone is producing nothing. They were at level 0.0 and the thyroid was high. So off to endo we went. They did blood draws and an ultrasound there for the thyroid and antibodies that confirmed Graves. I was just in a state of shock I guess for quite a while. I work in a Drs office and see all of these older women coming in with thyroid problems and thought it was an "old lady" illness because of menopause. Looking back I never noticed any symptoms because she never had any. She is a slim child but has always had some baby fat around her neck so when bathing I would tell her to look up to wash her neck and heck I wouldn't even know what to look for.....It to me just looked like a baby fat area. She never complained about her throat bothering her. Eating and drinking was always normal. Playing normal. So with out the dr noticing I would have had no clue. Now one symptom I think that should have trigger something was that heat really bothers her quickly. She sweats fast in the heat. I guess we are really lucky this was diagnosed much less diagnosed this early. She does have the racing heartbeat. I can't imagine what would have in the future if that wasn't controlled!!

[Andros]

It was actually an accident she was diagnosed. We have no thyroid problems in our family so it was no concern. I took her to her well child check and the new Dr in the clinic had her look up to the ceiling and noticed a large goiter in the neck area. Not really thinking too much into it she ordered a thyroid test. I guess some goiters can form when a child has a iodine salt deficiency, not enough salt in the diet. Which can be treated with diet. That is what she was thinking it was but when the tests came back it was a surprise to her that is actually was thyroid problem. Her hormone is producing nothing. They were at level 0.0 and the thyroid was high. So off to endo we went. They did blood draws and an ultrasound there for the thyroid and antibodies that confirmed Graves. I was just in a state of shock I guess for quite a while. I work in a Drs office and see all of these older women coming in with thyroid problems and thought it was an "old lady" illness because of menopause. Looking back I never noticed any symptoms because she never had any. She is a slim child but has always had some baby fat around her neck so when bathing I would tell her to look up to wash her neck and heck I wouldn't even know what to look for.....It to me just looked like a baby fat area. She never complained about her throat bothering her. Eating and drinking was always normal. Playing normal. So with out the dr noticing I would have had no clue. Now one symptom I think that should have trigger something was that heat really bothers her quickly. She sweats fast in the heat. I guess we are really lucky this was diagnosed much less diagnosed this early. She does have the racing heartbeat. I can't imagine what would have in the future if that wasn't controlled!!


Thank God for that very good doctor at the clinic. My goodness!!

[Phoenix]

Hi E's mom,

I am so sorry that your little girl is going through this, but thank goodness it was caught early.

Like your daughter, I had a "thick neck" as a child, but I was not diagnosed with Hashi's until I was 41.

I hope E makes a great recovery, and I want to welcome you to our family.

:hugs: to you both

Phoenix

[hillaryedrn]

Oh my gracious! :hugs: What a fantastic doctor!! I am so glad they were paying attention! Unfortunately, I don't have any advice for you, but I wanted to let you know that we are all here for you in any way that we can. :hugs: