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Endocrinology and Diabetes Program

Thyroid problems

The thyroid gland sits in the base of your neck. Its job is to make thyroid hormones. Thyroid hormones help your body maintain normal metabolism, growth and development. Our bodies make another hormone called thyroid stimulation hormone, or TSH for short. TSH helps to keep the right amount of thyroid hormone in our bodies.

Types of thyroid conditions

There are many different types of thyroid conditions in childhood and adolescence, including:

Hypothyroidism is a condition where the body does not make enough thyroid hormone. Depending on your child’s thyroid hormone levels, your child might need thyroid hormone (levothyroxine) tablets for treatment.

  • Congenital hypothyroidism: This is tested for at birth during the newborn screen. These children need thyroid hormone from birth onward.
  • (Autoimmune/Hashimoto’s) Hypothyroidism: This is found later in childhood or in adolescence. Your endocrine specialist might also order thyroid antibodies to check for this condition. 

Hyperthyroidism is when the body makes too much thyroid hormone.

  • Graves’ disease (named for Dr. Graves): In this condition, your body is making too much thyroid hormone – so we treat with anti-thyroid medicines, sometimes radioactive iodine therapy or surgery.
  • Hashitoxicosis: Your body is releasing too much thyroid hormone all at once.

Thyroid nodules: See more information on our Thyroid Nodule Clinic.

Abnormal thyroid studies: This can happen in response to another condition your child has or a medicine or supplement that they are taking.

More information

Thyroid care at Children's Wisconsin

  • At your child’s visit, our team gathers a medical history and performs a physical exam. They will also review any recent blood tests your child has gotten and look at their growth chart. This helps the team find out if there is a thyroid problem.
  • Once the team knows the reason for the thyroid problem, they may prescribe medicine.
  • When we begin treatment, we will follow your child closely with blood tests and clinic exams. As the thyroid problem gets better, your child will need fewer tests or clinic visits.