Having to deal with frequent blood draws is one of the worst parts of having a child with congenital hypothyroidism. When they are infants, it's heart breaking to watch them cry in pain as the phlebotomist squeezes droplets of blood into the little vials. Then, they become toddlers and are old enough to know what's going on, which may mean that they freak out when you pull in the parking lot of the hospital or lab. This phase lasts until they are 3 or 4 usually. As they get older, though, it does get easier as they are old enough to understand what's going on and why they need the blood test. Until then, here are my Top 5 Tips for Surviving Blood Draws. 1) Relax: No matter what the age, kids are perceptive. They can sense when you … [Read more...]
I was born with Congenital Hypothyroidism
Introducing Teresa Rodgers. Parents of children with congenital hypothyroidism, have you ever wanted to look into a crystal ball and see what the future holds for your child? I have. I worry a lot about what it will be like for them as they get older. Will they take their medication when they go off to college? Will puberty be more difficult for them? How can I make sure they stay healthy during those times? One of the best things about starting my blog is meeting other bloggers and thyroid advocates. This journey has introduced me to so many wonderful and amazing people, including Teresa Rodgers. Teresa, now in her mid twenties, was born with congenital hypothyroidism. I recently chatted with her and am thrilled to share her … [Read more...]
Golden Birthday – Kids with Congenital Hypothyroidism
Struggles in Raising Kids with Congenital Hypothyroidism That precious, little baby in the picture is my oldest son who has congenital hypothyroidism. He was 5 months old and in the hospital when that picture was taken. My oldest son recently had his golden birthday. Your golden birthday is when you turn the age that corresponds with the day of the month you were born. For example, if you were born on January 18th, your golden birthday would be the year you turn 18. I think your golden birthday should be a birthday that gets a little extra attention. So, we bought some gold balloons ready and ordered a cake with a big gold medal on it. Just a few things to make this birthday stand out a bit. When I think about how much he's … [Read more...]
Chat about Congenital Hypothyroidism Symptoms follow up
What does it feel like to be "off"? A follow-up Q &A with my oldest son about his Congenital Hypothyroidism Symptoms Recently, a reader asked me if my son could help articulate what "off" feels like using feeling words like tired, achy, etc. to help her better understand what her child was experiencing. In other words, better describe the symptoms of congenital hypothyroidism. Interestingly, her question coincided with a period of him being "off". We noticed that he seemed to be more tearful and have more difficultly sleeping. Both boys have an appointment coming up with their pediatric endocrinologist and so just had their thyroid levels (TSH, FT4, & T4) checked. The results revealed that my oldest (the one interviewed) is … [Read more...]
Out of the Mouth of Babes: A Child’s Perspective on Congenital Hypothyroidism
That’s me with my oldest at Disney when he was 3 years old and then again just recently. He’s 7 now. Those 4 years certainly flew by - way faster than he drove me around that race track a few weeks ago. He’s turned into quite the amazing kid - wise beyond his years. I recently interviewed him about what it’s like to have congenital hypothyroidism and here’s what he had to say: What does congenital hypothyroidism mean? It means that your thyroid doesn’t work that well. You don’t want to have it. You have to take a pill every morning. Where is your thyroid? In your throat and it’s shaped like a butterfly. How did you learn to take a pill? My wonderful mom and dad just told me I had to. I said I don’t want to … [Read more...]
Test Anxiety
What is the optimal time of day to have your thyroid levels tested? Tests, tests and more tests! Sometimes I think I have test anxiety when it comes to thyroid hormone level testing. Ever wonder what time of day you should have your child’s thyroid levels tested? Well, I have! I asked our pediatric endocrinologist whether we should give our kids their Synthroid (Levothyroxine, etc.) on the mornings that we are going for blood draws or wait until after the draw to administer the medication and whether we should go in the morning or the afternoon. Our doctor said there are schools of thought that believe there could be an issue with getting an accurate picture of the thyroid hormone levels if the draw is performed within an hour of … [Read more...]
Surviving Blood Draws
If you have a child that is diagnosed with a thyroid condition, be prepared for blood draws, particularly if they are born with congenital hypothyroidism. In the first few days/weeks, your child's doctor will probably want repeated blood draws to be sure that the surge in TSH isn't a newborn surge (sometimes it's so high it's clear that it isn't just a surge) and then once they start medication, they will check to be sure that the medication is working. As infants, my boys were checked every 2-4 weeks for a while. Surviving blood draws becomes crucial to everyone's sanity. Here are my best tips: Blood Draws with Infants 1) RELAX!!! Seriously - take a deep breath and relax. If you are uptight, then your baby will sense this and … [Read more...]