Mental Retardation Due To Congenital Hypothyroidism and Its Prevention

Authors

  • M. Suttan Assin Department of Child Health, Universitas Indonesia Medical School/Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta

Keywords:

mental retardation; congenital hypothyroidism; iodine deficiency; endemic cretin

Abstract

Thyroid hormone deficiency early in life causes severe and reversible brain damage.

Fetal and neonatal hypothyroidism usually occurs in association with:

a) Environmental Iodine deficiency producing endemic cretin

b) Sporadic congenital hypothyroidism.

In Indonesia 12 million people are suffering from endemic goiter and there are roughly 100,000 endemic cretins. Adequate Iodine supply in affected areas, which is now a National Health Programme, will diminish the birth of endemic cretins in the next decades.

The sporadic congenital hypothyroidfsm (CHT) is due to anatomical abnormality or malfunction of the tyroid gland. If treated before the age of 3 months, fourfifths of the children will attain an IQ above 92.

The only alternative is screening of all newborns for CHT, which is now a standard procedure in most of the developed countries. The incidence around the world is 1 : 3000- 4000 live births.

References

1. BURROW, G.N. : Neonatal Thyroid Screening - An Overview In Neonatal Thyroid Screening, edited by Gerard N. Burrow (Raven Press, New York, 1980).
2. DJOKOMOELJANTO, R. : The effect of severe iodine deficiency. A study on a Population in Central Java. (Thesis, 1974).
3. KLEIN, R Z. : History of congenital hypothyroidism. In neonatal thyroid screening, edited by Gerard N. Burrow (Raven Press, New York, 1980).
4. MORREALE DE ESCOBAR, G.; ESCOBAR DEL RE Y, F. : Brain Damage and Thyroid Hormone, in Neonatal Thyroid Screening, edited by Gerard N. Burrow (Raven Press, New Yark, 1980).
5. SUTAN ASSIN, M.; PRAMULJO, H.S.: Hipotiroidisme Kongenital Sporadis. Maj. Kedok. lndones, 33 : 1 (1983).
6. VANDERSCHUEREN - LODEWEYCKX, M. MALVAUX, P. ; CRAEN, M.; ERNOULD, CH; WOLTER, R. Neuropsychological study of treated children with thyroid dysgenesis. Experience before Neonatal screening. In neonatal thyroid screening, edited by Gerard N. Burrow (Raven Press, New York, 1980).
7. Widya Karya Nasional Pangan dan Gizi, Lembaga Ilmu Pengetahuan Indonesia (LIPI), (1983).

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Published

2018-08-07

How to Cite

1.
Assin MS. Mental Retardation Due To Congenital Hypothyroidism and Its Prevention. PI [Internet]. 2018Aug.7 [cited 2025Apr.20];24(3-4):57-63. Available from: https://paediatricaindonesiana.org/index.php/paediatrica-indonesiana/article/view/1915

Issue

Vol. 24 No. 3-4 (1984): March - April 1984

Section

Pediatric Endocrinology

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