Endocrinologists have not yet fully explored the reasons for the development of autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT). By its origin, this pathology can be caused by heredity, and can be acquired throughout life.
If the occurrence occurred during pregnancy, the consequences of autoimmune thyroiditis for a child can be different. Most of all, it affects the inhibition of the intellectual development of the baby.
Reasons
There is every reason to believe that hereditary predisposition is still the primary cause of autoimmune thyroiditis in children.
But even if a child has a hereditary predisposition to AIT, this does not mean at all that he will definitely get sick. In the second case, the starting point for the appearance of autoimmune thyroiditis in a child can be frequent acute respiratory infections and other chronic foci that provoke inflammation, in which an infection enters the respiratory tract. In such cases, the body is greatly weakened and the functions of the immune system are disrupted.
Weakened immunity due to-due to stress, it ceases to distinguish between the cells of its own body and confuses them with foreign ones. Other stresses (psycho-emotional), as well as circumstances such as thyroid injuries, environmental disturbance, or living in areas with high radiation for too long can also provoke pathology. Also, the relationship of endocrine disorders with the sex of the child and age has been repeatedly observed. Among boys, the number of patients is significantly less than among girls.
Symptoms
Autoimmune thyroiditis in children is a chronic disease. It is expressed in the development of inflammation processes in the tissues of the thyroid gland in response to damage to its cells by the immune system. The follicles are attacked, resulting in their destruction.
The main symptoms of autoimmune thyroiditis in a child are:
- appearance of goiter;
- production of antibodies to thyroglobulin and thyroperoxidase;
- impaired synthesis of peripheral thyroid-stimulating hormones.
Goiter development is a gradual process. Initially, the child may feel pain in the thyroid gland, have difficulty swallowing and breathing. However, the pain syndrome is usually mild. The child most often does not complain about anything, his hormonal background is normal.
The main symptom of thyroiditis is dry mouth, especially in the morning. It is characteristic that the child does not feel thirsty. In children with autoimmune thyroiditis, there is a slight developmental delay frompeers. After some time, an autoimmune goiter may disappear on its own. That is, recovery comes suddenly.
Perhaps this is due to the disappearance of provoking factors before the process of changing the thyroid gland has become irreversible. But in some cases, such a goiter lasts for a long time and as a result can lead to the development of hypothyroidism.
Views
The following is a classification and description of autoimmune thyroiditis by type. According to the functional activity of the thyroid gland in medicine, euthyroid, hyperthyroid and hypothyroid thyroiditis are distinguished.
Euthyroid goiter is the growth of the thyroid gland with its normal function. However, the patient's thyroid gland is still enlarged. The reason in this case is the lack of thyroid hormones. The body of the child in this way compensates for their lack. This is the most common variant of the disease. Every second case of goiter is euthyroid. Compared to toxic goiter, it is less dangerous. Euthyroid goiter is sometimes referred to as "non-toxic", but this definition is less preferred.
Hyperthyroid goiter is characterized by an increase in the activity of the thyroid gland - hyperthyroidism. This is a short stage of the disease. It is caused by massive destruction of thyroid cells and the release of a large amount of hormones into the blood.
Hypothyroid goiter is a disease caused by inhibition of all thyroid functions. In autoimmune thyroiditis, it is chronic, progressive. According to the course of the diseaseallocate latent and clinical types of autoimmune thyroiditis. Latent proceeds hidden, without any special clinical manifestations; clinical, on the contrary, is characterized by vivid symptoms.
According to the degree of change in the volume of the thyroid gland, hypertrophic and atrophic forms are distinguished. The first is characterized by tissue proliferation and goiter formation. Atrophic is accompanied by atrophy (death) of thyroid tissues with a significant decrease in its size.
Diagnosis
A child can be diagnosed with AIT by a pediatric endocrinologist. It is important to know the child's complaints:
- neck size got bigger;
- feeling of suffocation in the neck;
- uneven breathing when baby is lying on back;
- pain in the thyroid area.
These symptoms indicate an increase in the size of the thyroid gland.
And these signs indicate a lack or transient increase in the level of thyroid hormones:
- emotional breakdowns;
- decrease in attention level;
- weight loss;
- trembling hands.
It is important to know about the relatives of a child with a similar diagnosis. A doctor's visual examination is not enough to make a diagnosis of AIT.
Diagnosis of such a disease requires:
- Laboratory research.
- Complete blood count.
- Biochemical blood test.
- The level of thyroid hormones (T3, T4) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) is checked.
- Detection of antibodies to thyroid tissues.
- Instrumental examination: thyroid ultrasound.
A biopsy to exclude the diagnosis of malignant tumors in the thyroid gland is performed in the presence of nodular formations in the thyroid gland.
AIT is diagnosed when:
- A blood test showed a high level of antibodies to iron.
- Ultrasound data confirmed.
- For clinical signs of hypothyroidism.
Surgical treatment
Surgery for autoimmune thyroiditis in a child may be required in the following cases:
- Cancer is suspected.
- The thyroid gland compresses the laryngeal nerve and treatment with Levothyroxine did not give the desired effect.
- Nodules found in the thyroid gland.
- Other treatments have not had the desired effect.
In the above cases, subtotal strumectomy is performed. After surgery, it is necessary to prescribe thyroid hormones, since hypothyroidism almost always develops after surgery. It is for this reason that cases of surgical intervention for autoimmune thyroiditis are extremely rare. Also, after the operation, life-long replacement therapy can be prescribed.
If the thyroid gland is greatly enlarged and makes it difficult for the child to breathe and swallow, compresses the organs of the neck, then surgery is carried out immediately. Otherwise, the child is assigned to receive special drugs, the effect of whichaimed at normalizing the functioning of the thyroid gland. Treatment of autoimmune thyroiditis is carried out under the mandatory control of the level of thyroid hormones and ultrasound.
Medicated treatment
If a child has been diagnosed with autoimmune thyroiditis, then the necessary amount of hormones is injected into the child's body for treatment. The use of stronger drugs - such as glucocorticoids - is resorted to in more complicated phases of the disease. If an increase in the functional work of the thyroid gland is noticed, then thyrostatics are used. Anti-inflammatory drugs are used to reduce the production of antibodies. It is also advised to use vitamins and drugs to improve the functioning of the immune system.
Medicines
In case of illness, the following treatment of autoimmune thyroiditis in children is advised:
- "Tiamazol" - leads the thyroid gland to a stable state. Apply regularly for a month and a half. After such a course, the medicine is used in smaller doses (no more than 10 mg in the next two months).
- "Mercazolil". Three times a day, you need to take 3 tablets (5 mg). It is advisable to take the medicine after meals, while drinking plenty of water. When a child is allergic to a medicine, nausea and bodily itching occur.
- "Metindol". Doctors advise taking no more than two tablets per day. Do not use this medicine if the child has heart defects. The drug may cause rashes and nausea.
- Voltaren. Foradjustments to the use, consultation with a doctor is necessary. Usually take one tablet no more than three times a day. This drug is not recommended for young children under 6 years of age.
Folk treatment
One of the main treatments for autoimmune thyroiditis in children and adolescents are immunomodulators (Pallas Euphorbia, red brush). It is much more effective to take them together with anti-inflammatory herbs (sweet clover, elderberry). It is also necessary to use herbs that improve blood flow in every possible way, for example:
- red root;
- raspberries;
- peony;
- willow.
After each meal (preferably three times a day), you need to drink a glass of herbal tincture: Baikal skullcap, meadowsweet, sandy immortelle, adonis, horsetail, common toadflax. Before going to bed, take 25 drops of peony tincture along with 100 ml. water
Features of food
With this disease, you need to eat foods rich in fiber and various vitamins. It is necessary to consume as much cereals, various vegetables, cottage cheese, herbs as possible, and one should not forget about meat. Foods containing iodine are also essential in this diet. Autoimmune thyroiditis can also be cured with bear bile. During the treatment period, you should not expose yourself to heavy physical exertion and stress.
Recovery and advice from an endocrinologist
According to clinical guidelines, autoimmune thyroiditis in children requirescertain lifestyle:
- Physical activity needs to be reduced. The disease is often accompanied by pain in the muscles or joints. There may be irregularities in the work of the heart, the pressure changes regularly - it either increases or decreases. In addition, the disease disrupts metabolism, and this leads to an increase in injuries. You need to consult a doctor about what loads are suitable for the body in this condition. Better to spend more time outdoors and walk.
- Don't abuse solar radiation. Staying at the beach for a long time will not do anything good for a person with autoimmune thyroiditis.
- As for traveling by sea, there are also restrictions. In the event that a person has elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone, you should not be in sea water for more than 10 minutes.
- It is necessary to avoid stressful situations - to worry and worry less.
Prognosis for autoimmune thyroiditis in children is favorable. Of course, the disease cannot be completely eliminated, but with proper timely treatment, it will be possible to get rid of the consequences.
