ABSTRACT
Because of the important maturational effects of thyroid hormone, abnormalities in thyroid function in the pediatric age range may have profound effects on linear growth and skeletal development. In addition, both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism in infants and children younger than 3 years can cause permanent cognitive deficits, reflecting the pivotal role of thyroid hormone on brain development at this time. The practitioner caring for infants and children with thyroid disorders should be familiar with these unique aspects of the growing child, and also with differences in clinical presentation, etiology, consequences, and treatment of thyroid disease in the pediatric age range.
