born without a thyroid

[crichards]

I am a single parent raising a little boy that was born without a thyroid. He is 5 years old and so far he is mentally up to par. He is a little on the small side. After reading some of these forums I am a little concerned about his future. We see a specialist and I do trust him. When my son was 3 days old the thyroid test showed his thyroid was underactive - the Dr. sat me down in his office and told me my son would be mentally handicapped. I can say without hesitation that as of right now this has not been the case. We just discovered 2 months ago that instead of an underactive thyroid my son was born without a thyroid at all. My fear is in the future that he may struggle with keeping up with learning and growing. My counselor suggested that I apply for social security for him. As a single mom we barely get by but we do. I guess before I consider applying now and putting the money away for the future if the time comes that we would need that money for him I was wondering if anyone else born without a thyroid recieved social security. I read on here that someone could not find any statistics on boys born without a thyroid graduating high school. I just put my son on the school bus for kindergarden on tuesday. I can't imagine him not graduating. If anyone has any information I would greatly appreciate it.

[craig091381]

I am a 36 year old male I was born in 1981 September I have suffered what they diagnosed as hypothyroidism since my birth I get my blood work done which is T3 and T4 blood work and take Synthroid my whole life I have come do you have many challenges one of which is fatigue and exhaustion often times I wonder what it would be like to be normal when your blood count for your T3 and T4 are off you're extremely tired and fatigued I also have been diagnosed with anxiety depression at the age of 16 which I feel have been and being struggle with this an aches and pains and my joints as well I don't know if this would help been in my own personal opinion this is just the things I went through so when he gets older and he's tired and fatigued is this things to watch out for it may help

[craig091381]

I take 2 sythroid .2 and .05

[gimel]

Your story is one that is very familiar to us.  You are taking a large dose of Synthroid, yet you still  do not feel normal.  Usually that is because your body is not adequately converting the T4 med to T3 which is metabolized in tissues throughout the body to produce the needed energy. I went through this myself for over 40 years until I learned here on the Forum about the importance of Free T3.  I got mine tested and confirmed as low in the range.  Then I got my doctor to switch my meds to include a source of T3, along with the T4.  After some tweaking of dosage to keep my Free T4 around mid-range, and Free T3 in the upper end of its range, I felt better than I could even remember.  There is much more to discuss, but first please post your thyroid related test results and reference ranges shown on the lab report..    

[angbvn]

I was born without a thyroid gland back in 1961.  I was diagnosed very quickly and have been on thyroxine ever since.  I have led a full active life, had two children and enjoy life.  Up to the age of 16 I was under the hospital for regular check ups and again through my first pregnancy.  I have never let this get in the way of enjoyng my life I hope this helps to some extent.  My parents never treated me any different to my sister or brother.  

[Barb135]

It's not all that rare to not have a thyroid... I agree that one must have regular blood work done, but TSH isn't the only test that should performed and regulated.  Free T3 and Free T4 are far more important than TSH, when it comes to regulating metabolism, heart rate and other body functions.

In addition, not everyone will need their dosage changed every 4 months, nor will every doctor be willing to do blood work that often.  Along with that, we've seen a lot of children who have had a lot of issues that are thyroid related, for a variety of reasons... everyone is different, so we can't make blanket statements about anything that's thyroid related.

It's true that a specialist is not always needed, since many endos specialize in diabetes, not thyroid... Any doctor who is keeps current on thyroid treatment and is willing to treat symptoms as well as labs is can manage a thyroid condition.

[elise7005]

TO ALL THOSE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR CHILD WITH THYROID PROBLEMS: PLEASE READ

i am a fellow member of the thyroidless community. many people have underactive or overactive thyroids. believe it or not, this is very common. what is rare about having thyroid problems is not physically having one in your body. this causes the person's entire metabolism structure to not function properly. i have this problem where i physically do not have a thyroid. almost nobody has this problem today. i am a 14 year old girl who never went to a specialist my entire life. as long as a child has a constant update in dosage for levoxyl (bloodwork), they should have no problem living a normal life. no specialist needed so far. surprisingly enough, i have a fabulous metabolism and can function like a regular everyday person. i would take your child on very regular trips to the lab to make sure that their dosage amount is accurate, as it changes a lot during the early years. i needed a new dosage about every 4 months. my tsh number constantly changed. as long as you are very punctual about bloodwork visits, your child shall have no problem living a normal life. i am living proof. :)

                                    king regards,

                                      elise7005
                            

[Barb135]

Thanks for posting... I'm not sure what you mean about being one of the first to be diagnosed.  Many people have been born with without a thyroid prior to 1972.  I wasn't aware that not having a thyroid was considered a disability since people can live a normal life, so long as they take their medication daily as required.

[pieman20132013]

hI,my name is Greg and I was born in 1972.I too,was born without a thyroid.I believe I was one of the 1st to be diagnosed.I am 6ft.2in.tall and weigh about190lbs.,if that makes anyconcerns at ease.I just want to let you know that he should be able to get ssi for his condition,be cause I have been getting it since1974.

[gimel]

How about posting your last several thyroid related test results and reference ranges shown on the lab report so that members can try to assess the adequacy of your testing and treatment.

[kwood123456]

I was born without a thyroid back in March of 1994. I'm currently attending Cal State Fullerton, am part of the honors society, and currently am looking at a promising career in accounting. I have always struggled with my weight over the years, at least ever since I was 5. The doctors knew within 2 days of my birth that I had no thyroid gland, but just the surrounding for it. It seems as if the mental state is different case by case as I have always been a straight-A student all throughout elementary, Jr. high, and high school. It's still a tough rode with frequent doctor visits and some people tend to struggle with growth. I'm not sure if my thyroid caused it, but I was also born with a small pituitary gland, and started high school as a 4'11 freshmen, but ended as a 5'9 senior due to the aid of Human Growth Hormone (HGH).

Best of luck to you and your son, I will be praying for the 2 of you as you go along this journey.

[gimel]

If you still struggle with weight and sleep, perhaps your thyroid levels are not optimal.  If you will post your thyroid test results and reference ranges shown on the lab report, members can help interpret and advise.  

[cmtjt]

I was born without a thyroid, I am 29 years old, while I struggled with weight and sleep I am very healthy, and my son has a thyroid and is alos very healthy, the key is to keep up with doctors visits. see an endocrinologist at least every 5 years and take your medication as directed without fail. Its hard and annoying but it wont kill you to do it if you want to live a normal life. I go to college and work. It is just a part of who I am.

[magpieannie]

Was your daughter born without a thyroid gland? Thanks for posting about her. My daughter is 10 and born without a thyroid gland in 2000. It was caught with the newborn screening. She is a very bright 4th grader. Her teacher just emailed me saying she wants to refer her for the gifted and talented class (EXPO). No matter if she makes it or not-it made me proud that she has come this far and that we caught her condition before any intellectual damage was done. This does not mean that she hasn't suffered time to time with the dredded symptom of "brain fog"  and forgetfulness from time to time though when her meds are needing an adjustment-but we always recognize it for what it is and take the proper measures needed to get her "thinking" and feeling better. Any advice or experience that you can share with us would be greatly appreciated since your daughter is" ahead of us" in this life without a thyroid gland.

[Sshadofax]

Don't worry, my daughter is 18 a freshman in college and making great grades. She was born in 1992 before routine testing for thryoid function was preformed in all hospitals. With a good doctor and frequent testing your son will live a normal and healthy life. Hyorthryoidism was the number 1 cause of mental retardation before testing was done early enough. My daughter still gets blood work every three months and I request not only tsh but T3 T4 counts and with that we are doing fine. She take synthriod and Cytomel for the t3 t4 problems but she had an iq of 140 and is of normal stature. So don't let prior 1995 testing and results concern you. There is no reason a child that had this problem found prior to their 1st birthday should not be expected to have a normal and healthy furtur. I did find it helpful to change her doctor every 5 years because doctors forget to be interested in the condition and forget how important frequent blood work is to their future. Expect frequent strength changes and do watch the growth chart for tips testing is needed more often during physical growth years.

[magpieannie]

Thanks for posting about your son. Being a mother to a child who was born w/out a thyroid gland can be very unsettling at times. Kids don't always know how to explain how they are feeling, so it's good to hear about how well other kids have done with issues like weight and other possible hypo. health issues.Thanks for posting. It's good to know that your son has done well. Take care and God Bless!

[diann59]

my son was born without a thryriod 15 years ago we had a few problems with him being very active and fast he started to settle down at about 10 he went into pubeity very early 10 years old but what a cracking lad he, is is height is 5' 11" normal build not bad to say he was always under weight until he was about 11 years he is very bright doing well at school not bad as the haelth visitor said he would not go through mainstream school he takes thyroixene 200 mg daily and has blood test every 4 months hpoe this helps wish i had found a site like this 15 years ago we were in the dark but there is a lot of help now with tests

[magpieannie]

Thanks for posting! My daughter is nine and also born without a thyroid gland. I'm glad to hear that you have done well other than the anxiety, which is probably related to your thyroid levels being off in one direction or the other. My daughter has never suffered from anxiety, but she has had many hypo. symptoms in the past when on Synthroid. I switched her to desiccated hormone (Nature-Throid) last spring and she is doing much better. She is the tallest in her class, however she is too heavy, but we are working on it. She had her first basketball game of the season last night and I was pleased to see her really running and she made 6 goals! Last year at this time she was having heart palpatations (PVC's) and was wearing a heart moniter during her basketball games. This was while she was on Synthroid. Happy to say that she no longer has this as her Freet3 is now higher in the range, which was obviosly her problem before. (Could not convert enough of the t4 med into the active t3). Now that she gets t3, and her thyroid hormone levels are kept higher in normal range w/ her TSH lower (under 1) she is feeling great again (no PVC's or other hypo health issues) and she's not hyper in any way! We just had to find the right med and the right level for "her" specific needs. Well thanks for the encouraging post. It really helps to hear how others are doing with their "thyroidless" life. Keep in touch....Anne

[Pete_S]

Hi....

Im 28 yr male. I also have no thyroid. Born without. Back then it was rare, but now I go check online about it and realize Im not the only one. They also told my parents it was really rare for males, and that thier was a chance of me being handicapped! That ole speech from the doc can kiss my ***. I take what all you take to survive, levothroxine or whatever. I was  the tallest in my class in elementary, and I stayed thin threwout my life. I gained weight off and on when I hit puberty, takin diffrent doses but overall stayed the same weight. I dont really go for reg check ups even tho i should, but as of lately I did because for yrs I was on a dose where it was too low, or high, i cant remember, but they uped  my dose. Since then I lost extra weight and I been more myself. I suffered from anxiety from a young age too, maybe cuz of it??? Who knows, but since the dose I am on I had no anxiety attacks. I just hate how im thin! Im 178lbs, used to be up to 205lbs. Im been currently active all my life, playin hockey and soccer. Im well known to be good at these sports, and I enjoy it. So thier is nothing to worry about when havin no thyriod. Your as normal as anything. Take your meds and never mess around with it. Stay healthy.

[mparkin]

I was born without a thyroid and I am now 18. I take 125 mg of lethothyroxine a day. Although there have been some effects none of have really hindered my quality of life. The things that have affected me are delayed bone growth so I was normally the smallest child in the class, although I am now of average size, as well as impaired motor skills and hand eye coordination. My hand writing is below average but this does not affect me too much paragraph. The main thing to look out for is the child’s state of mind as being smallest in the class and other symptoms can lead to insecurity.

[loopylil]

i was born without a thyroid until i saw this site i thought it was virtually unheard of. i take thyroxine

[mwells]

My daughter doesn't have a thyroid either. Found out day three also. She has been on levothyroxine ever since. She is now 7 healthy, happy, and smart. She does fine in school. She has just went thru a growth spurt this year- she's 4'3" but I am 5' and my husband is 6'3" so I think she is just taking after him in heigth. She can be quite emotional sometimes. She says somtimes she just feels like crying.I don't know if it's thyroid related or just being a kid?The specialist we have seen said it should not be a problem that to watch for when she hits puberty.    As long as you control the dose and he takes the meds everything will be what he needs. Your son should develope as he should.

[Hazel1986]

My name is Hazel,

I was born without a Thyroid.

I am 21 years old, have graudated from University with a 2.1 and am looking to start my own business as a freelance film editor.

As long as your son has regualr checkups on his height and weight and blood test every 6 months there should be no problem.

When I hit purberty my Thyroxine dosage increased, and then again when I got to University and became more womanly.

My levels pretty much stay the same and I am a size 12 (UK) normal human being - well - that's what they say...! Hahaha

I completely forget that I was born without a Thyroid most days and take tablets every day  that I get through the NHS. It is just a part of my life, takes 2 seconds to do.

Whever I feel drowsy or lethargic for longer periods of time - I perhaps go and check up with the docs, but mainly its just another ceck up.

I hope this helps

Hazel

[[email protected]]

My cousin was born without a thyroid gland many years ago, he is 40 now I think, but he was 2 when they tested him and found his was missing. He is very intelligent, he made A's and B's in elementary school and a 4.0 in high school and college. He is a Reseach  Biologist of some sort working at the University Of Kentucky. So no I do not think that being born without a thyroid is a Prerequisite to assume any child will be slow, or mentally challenged in any way. Please just don't give up on him, not to say you ever would, and give him lot's of support and I think that with the right medication he will be fine.

Have a blessed day
Eva

[crichards]

ChitChatNIne, DarlaLOU, GravesLady, devushka, borninquistive

Thank you all for your comments. I was overwhelmed with the feedback - I will keep following up with his doctor and I think I willbe visiting this forum on a regular basis. I will keep you all posted on his condition.

[ChitChatNine]

I would think that since they know about his condition so early on that meds will replace the missing hormones .. similar as if he had a total thyroidectomy at early age.  I'm not a Doctor but if he has achieved so much on target at this age I can only think the future will hold similar results as long as he is under the care of a good endocrinologist!

My sister in law posted on the board back in Feb.  She had what was supposed to be a partial thyoridectomy and when they got in there found she only was born with 1/2 a thyroid!  What they thought was the other half of her thyroid on prior ultrasounds was actually the nodule that grew so huge it pushed thru to the other side and resembled a thyorid on the ultrasound!  I don't know stats on those born without or 1/2 a thyroid but early testing certainly improves the odds for on-target achievement/development for children these days vs. yrs. ago.

Cheryl

[DarlaLOU]

Thank you for sharing your story with us, it is amazing what little ones do and they just seem to have miracles all around them. So good to hear a positive one here... I hope things continue to go well.
I have had experience with 2 people (both boys) born w/out thyroids. The one is my age, he is very mentally challenged and his family has spent his whole life (35 yrs) trying to figure out what to do to help him out. The other is a younger boy, he is about 20 yrs old now, and the Dr's knew before he was born that there was a problem so they were right on top of things. He did struggle a bit in school but kept up... graduated and has done well for himself. The only problem he ended up having and I don't know if it was thyroid related or not, but when he was about 12 he had a sudden issue with fluid on the brain and had to have a shunt put in... but has never had an ounce of trouble with that since.
I think that this day and age with all the technology and science and medicine we have your son has a greater chance of succeeding and doing well in the big picture. Sounds like he is just flourishing now and that is so awesome.
Best wishes to you! Glad to have you on our forum!!

Darla