Thyroid disorder is a disorder in thyroid gland whether in the formation disorder or change of shape or gland function disorder (hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism). These would obviously affect the growth and development of tissues, including nervous system and brains.
dr. Kristy Iskandar, M.Sc., Ph.D., Sp.A, said thyroid hormones are important for child growth. Lacking it will lead to stunting.
"Thyroid hormone also affects the central nervous system development. Lack of the hormone will cause mental and IQ retardation in children,” she said in Kresna Auditorium, UGM Academic Hospital on Thursday (27/9) in a seminar on Thyroid Disorder in Children.
Kristy mentioned that congenital hypothyroid case is 1:2500 in child birth, which means in 5 million births in Indonesia, as many as 1,600 babies are with congenital hypothyroid each year. "Unfortunately, as high as 70 percent of congenital hypothyroid are detected when they are over one year old,” she said.
She suggested screening of congenital hypothyroid as soon as possible which is lab blood test of newborn babies.
"With early detection, medical intervention can be done by L-thyroxine. So, the baby will grow well and pass their "golden period" ideally in the first month of their life,” she added.
Speaker dr. Esti Risanto, Sp.OG from UGM Academic Hospital, said the development of thyroid disease is often slow but dangerous whose symptoms are often misinterpreted by patients as other conditions such as hyperlipidemia, irregular periods, menopause, or depression, she said.
According to Esti Risanto, between symptoms of thyroid disorder and pregnancy there are many similarities such as fatigue, nausea, weight gain, and change in skin, hair, and nail, also insomnia, constipation, headache, and mood swing.
Another speaker, dr. Novita Krisnaeni, MPH, from Health Agency in Sleman, said thyroid disorder disrupted body metabolism and would cause diseases.
"Generally, people come late to the doctor as they are not aware. So, I hope this seminar will help spread the information and thyroid disease can be detected and cured earlier,” she said.
Director of Medical Service of the Hospital, Prof. Dr. dr. Elisabeth Siti Herini, Sp.A(K), said thyroid diseases are non-infectious diseases. Diseases like hypothyroid or hyperthyroid are a lifelong treatment. "It is there all their life, not healed but controlled, so, patients ought to do regular treatment,” he added.