Thyroid Advocacy for our Children Hold on, to me as we go As we roll down this unfamiliar road And although this wave (wave) is stringing us along Just know you're not alone Cause I'm gonna make this place your home Settle down, it'll all be clear Don't pay no mind to the demons They fill you with fear The trouble it might drag you down If you get lost, you can always be found Just know you're not alone Cause I'm gonna make this place your home -Phillip Phillips, HOME The other day, I was riding down the road listening to Phillip Phillips’ song, Home. I’ve heard the song plenty of times, but that particular day, it struck me that a parent could have written this song to their child. I write mostly about thyroid related … [Read more...]
Travel Tips
My family and I are just home from a family trip. It was a wonderful trip. Traveling with kids, though, is always an adventure. I have flown a lot with my kids and wanted to share my tips for packing and flying with children, especially those with health issues. 1) Make a list and check it twice! I have saved all of my packing lists on the computer, so that I can edit and reuse easily. 2) Check all of your medications a week before your trip. Count the pills to be sure you have enough of each medication to last through your vacation and a few extra days (in the event of flight delays or other travel issues). If your insurance provider won’t allow you to refill a prescription early to ensure you have enough pills, … [Read more...]
Congenital Hypothyroidism: A Dad’s POV
I'm happy to introduce my husband, Mac, as my guest blogger today. I asked him to write about what things were like for him when our boys were infants and share his advice. Here's what he had to say: My wife aka Thyroid Mom asked me to write about what I have learned as the Dad of 2 children with Congenital Hypothyroidism. I hope it can help other Dads out there, or at least let them know they are not alone. First, let me start off by bragging because that's what we Dads have to do. That picture you see is of me holding my oldest son when he was an infant in the "football hold" as we call it in the US. It was his favorite way to be held, and I could always rock him to sleep this way. Isn't he a handsome baby? Okay, … [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...]
The First Appointment – Pediatric Endocrinologist
If your child has congenital hypothyroidism, then you will probably be referred to a pediatric endocrinologist. The first few appointments my husband and I went to with my newborn son at the pediatric endocrinologist's office were not so great. My sweet boy hated riding in the car and screamed the entire way to the children's hospital located about 40 miles away (1 hour if you count driving and parking). We waited for over an hour to see the doctor. We didn't bring anything to write on and ran out of diapers. Truly brand new parents. We left feeling a little better about our son's condition, but in general, disappointed with the lack of information. Over time, we learned the tricks of the trade and … [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...]