Tackle infant's thyroid disease

Thyroxin is the most crucial hormone for brain development and growth of a child. The hormone is secreted from the thyroid gland in the throat.

Child's growth is stunded due to thyroxin deficiency and their mental development is hampered too. Complete cure is possible if the problem is identified and treated in time.

It is difficult to detect these complex symptoms immediately after birth as they may not emerge clearly. The problem can occur in two ways. A defective thyroid gland by birth or an enzyme deficiency in the hormone production process.

Lack of an iodine rich diet, a family history or autoimmuine disease can cause this at any age.

Symptoms of thyroid problem in a newborn:

1. Abnormal skin colour. Slightly swollen face, thick eyebrows and, sometimes, a protuding tongue. 2. The infant has difficulty in sucking milk and breathes noisily through its nose.
3. Excessive sleeping, less crying and generally silent.
4. Constipation, generally for over 3 days.
5. Neonatal jaundice that continues after two weeks of birth.
6. Swollen navel in some cases

The disorder can be identified by screening of blood. Many children of the country, if ensured thyroid screening within 7 days of birth, would not develop physical or mental retardation.

*Abid Hossain Mollah is a paeditrician at BIRDEM (Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation in Diabetes, Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders) in Dhaka.