Delayed diagnosis of hypothyroidism in children results in avoidable servere complication: a report of five cases

ABSTRACT

We report five children with unsual presentations of hypothyroidism and delayed diagnosis in the last year. The cases presented to outpatient clinics with different clinical pictures. On hormonal replacement therapy during the last year, the following were observed All children had improved in their gross motor milestones, the hypertrichosis and the hematological status of the first and the second case improved, with no significant changes in their growth parameters. The first case had mild mental retardation, while the second had normal mental performance. The third case and the twins improved dramatically in their growth parameters, but not in their developmental milestones. The fourth and fifth case were twins with almost identical clinical features, whose mother was seeking medical help from several pediatricians due to developmental delay that she noticed in her children