Subject(s)
Hypothyroidism/psychology , Intelligence , Child , Child, Preschool , Congenital Hypothyroidism , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Hypothyroidism/epidemiology , Infant , Intelligence Tests , Male , Mass Screening , Quebec , RiskABSTRACT
A prospective study of the mental development of hypothyroid infants detected by the Quebec Network for Genetic Medicine began in January, 1976. The mean age at initiation of thyroid hormone therapy was 27 days. Forty-five hypothyroid infants and 37 normal control subjects were assessed at age 12 months with the Griffiths mental development test; 77 and 41, respectively, were assessed at age 18 months, and 59 and 40, respectively, at 36 months. There were no statistically significant differences in the various test scores between the two populations at age 12 months, but at age 18 and 36 months the hypothyroid infants had lower scores in hearing-speech performance scales and practical reasoning (36 months) which also decreased their global quotient. The mean scores were still above 100 and only nine were below 85. Further assessment of the influence of early therapy on mental development at age 6 years is needed before definitive statements can be made about the long-term mental development in these subjects.
Subject(s)
Congenital Hypothyroidism , Intellectual Disability/prevention & control , Mass Screening , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Hypothyroidism/drug therapy , Hypothyroidism/psychology , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Intelligence Tests , Male , Prospective Studies , Quebec , Thyroid Hormones/therapeutic useABSTRACT
From our experience in the screening of 212,000 newborn infants, we have devised a flow chart for processing T4 and TSH measurements obtained from initial filter paper blood spots. To date, all infants with thyroid dysfunction or TBG deficiency have been detected. Of the population screened, 1.84% require a spot TSH determination, and 1.1% require repeat determinations of T4.