12 year old with Hashimoto's

[olecarole]

Hello-
My 12 year old daughter has just been diagnosed with Hashimoto's.  She presented with a goiter and no symptoms.  Her TPO is over 1000, Thyroglobulin 51, TSH 84.99, Free Thyroxin .48 .  She has been placed on Levothyoxin 75mcg.  We go back in 6 weeks for another round of labs, which will include a celiac panel.  The pediatric endocrinologist says she will be on meds lifelong which is unsettling to me because she is 12 years old.  Anyone have experience with Hashimoto's going into remission?  Our pediatric endo is quite certain the function of the thyroid is gone.  I am in denial since she has no symptoms.  She is a competitive swimmer and an A student with slim body build and ideal weight.  Anyone have experience with Hashimoto's going into remission with such a high TPO?  

[mar85]

I don't know much about the connection to chlorine, but there are studies about fluoride affecting thyroid function, and water often contains both of these, so who knows. At one time in Europe, fluoride was used to reduce overactive thyroids by having patients drink or bathe in fluoridated water.

jilly23:  Have you had your son tested for celiac? My son was presenting with many similar symptoms (except he is shorter for his age). After his thyroid test came back "normal", his doctor tested for celiac. This test came back positive, although there is still more testing to be done, so we don't have the final diagnosis. We went through the same thing with his anxiety symptoms and trouble with schoolwork, after he has always been a really happy kid and a good student, and a therapist saying maybe ADD after he had never had any indications of this up until age 13. Also, I can't understand why a doctor would say someone doesn't have any symptoms of a thyroid disorder when all of these things can be symptoms.

[Laurie_R]

I am 39 and was a competitive swimmer for 20 years. I was just diagnosed with Hashimotos. I have had several ND's tell me they suspected a link between Hashimotos and chlorine exposure. I have 3 siblings that were also swimmers and all have thyroid problems as well. Has anyone ever come across any studies that would point to this connection?

[Miss5elements]

The exposure to chlorine could be the cause of her Hashimoto's. And yes, she may be on thyroid meds for the rest of her life - that is a hard pill to swallow. Consider using a pool that cleans with oxygen instead of chlorine. They are rare but do exist.
I was a competitive swimmer from ages 7-17. I now have Hashimoto's and Primary Ovarian Insufficiency; and believe my constant exposure to chlorine caused my autoimmune conditions. I'm 43 now & never had a child.
I commend you on being honest about all the issues surrounding your daughter's health. Please keep doing all you can to protect it, including her fertility.  

[jilly23]

Hashimoto's disease is common on my Mom's side of the family.  My Mom, her 2 sisters and I have all been diagnosed and are on Synthroid.  When I was pregnant with my son I specifically remember my endocrinologist telling me that if, at any time my son starts having trouble in school (ie difficulty concentrating/focusing, bad grades, talk of ADD), I should have his thyroid tested.  He has been having these exact symptoms over the last 2 years but our MD will only test his TSH (his came back WNL) and not the antibodies since "he's not showing symptoms of Hashimoto's and it's rare in boys".  I refuse to put him on ADD meds and don't know where to turn.  He's almost 9 and he's a very thin kid with normal height.  He definitely has an issue with anxiety and just recently told his Dad and myself that sometimes he cries for no reason.  We are divorced so I sometimes blame those symptoms on our situation but am really starting to worry about his thyroid.  Could anyone tell me what the typical symptoms are of thyroid issues in a young boy? I would greatly appreciate it.  His Dad just thinks I'm being a hypochondriac and blames his troubles in school on boredom and just not liking school.  Help!

[debbie0413]

Thanks for the clarification, Deb.

[Smilerdeb]

Thyrotoxicosis is when the FT3 level is high Debbie.....indicating hyperthyroidism.
It is usually found when the FT3 is high and the TSH low.,

[debbie0413]

Do you know of any websites with information about the relationship between Hashi's and EBV?  My daughter was originally diagnosed with and treated for Grave's disease with RAI at 17 three years ago.  Now it seems like an additional diagnosis of Hashi's is likely (I'm not sure yet if the Hashi antibodies have been confirmed).  I don't know if my daughter's pediatric endocrinologists just never bothered testing for Hashi's because her sypmtoms were so clearly hyper, or if they tested and no antibodies showed up in the labs.  Anyway, I suspect my daughter may have thyrotoxicosis (some people use a more common label of hashitoxicosis) which I believe is a pattern of alternating hypo and hyper cycles.  She has been experiencing emotional distress since December, and at least since March has had complications of an eating disorder.  Anyway, thanks for any info. you can post.

[olecarole]

Thank you so much for your information.  My husband's side of the family seems to have the autoimmune issues, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis and Hashi's.  Pediatrician says we will need to test our other 2 children as they get near pre puberty.  We have a 9 year old girl and 5 year old boy.  Thanks for explaining the remission part...it makes sense to me now.  For now we are staying positive, she doesn't mind taking her pill and we are all making better food choices.
EBV can be so debilitating...interesting about one of the causes of Hashi's.  We plan on staying on top of this disease.  Thank you Laura for your information...the more I learn, the more power I feel we have.

[laura1967]

I don't think the thyroid function is completely gone, but only time will tell. Make sure you stay on top with follow up labs every 6 weeks until she is stabilized on the same dosage over a period of time.
Hashimoto's is when antibodies attack and destroy the thyroid gland until it no longer functions on its own to make Free T4. So yes she will be on thyroid meds for the rest of her life. The thyroid gland cannot rejuvinate itself as the liver can.  It is hard to accept...as we have all experienced here with Hashi's.
The remission part of Hashi's is when there is no longer any thyroid function, and the antibodies calm down and lesson in number, because they no longer have anything to attack.
My daughter has recently been started on meds as well....50 mcg start. She presented with low free t4 levels, but has not presented the antibodies yet. I have Hashimoto's.  
So we will continually check the antibodies and see if they show up. She is only 14, so I understand. I never wanted to pass this down to my daughter, but I feel that I have.
We both were sick with activated Epstein Barr virus.....I was first and not to long after then started having thyroid issues......now she is following same program.  :(
EBV has been proven to be one of the causes of Hashi's.
Hope everything with your daughter stays positive. Stay one step ahead of the disease to help keep her from being symptomatic.