My child was born without a thyroid gland; will he be normal?
Dr Vidya Gupta
Consultant Paediatrician & Neonatologist,
Indraprastha Apollo Hospital,
New Delhi
Consultant Paediatrician & Neonatologist,
Indraprastha Apollo Hospital,
New Delhi
Q: My son is 2 years old and was born without a thyroid gland, he is on thyronorm medicine since he was a month old; can he lead a normal life? He is now 2 years old and does not talk much except a few words but not sentences; is this normal?
A:Babies with congenital Hypothyroidism are likely to need thyroxine replacement all their life. Provided they are given proper treatment they should develop normally. At 2 years of age most children speak 2 word sentences and not much more than that. All children with congenital hypothyroidism should get a formal neuro-developmental evaluation.