Selected Podcast
Thyroid Conditions in Children
Dr. Katherine Vu-Boast form UPMC Children's Specialty Services will discuss common pediatric thyroid disorders.
Featuring:
Katherine Vu-Boast, MD
Dr. Katherine Vu-Boast is board-certified in pediatrics and pediatric endocrinology. She earned her medical degree from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Dr. Vu-Boast completed her residency at the University Of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and her fellowship from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. Dr. Vu-Boast is passionate about education and empowering her patients and their families. She enjoys utilizing technology and process improvement to improve health care delivery and patient’s experiences. During her spare time, she enjoys traveling, cooking and gardening. Transcription:
Host: So what is the function of the thyroid? What are some of the most common thyroid disorders in children and how are they treated? With us to discuss thyroidism in children and UPMC's Children's Specialty Services is Dr. Katherine Vu-Boast, a pediatric endocrinologist at UPMC Pinnacle.
This is Healthier You, a podcast from UPMC Pinnacle. I'm Bill Klaproth. Dr. Vu-Boast, it is great to talk with you. Thank you so much for your time. So first off, can you explain to us what is the function of the thyroid?
Dr. Katherine Vu-Boast: Sure. This little gland is a bow-tie shaped gland that is at the bottom front of everybody's neck. And its main job is to produce thyroid hormone. Thyroid hormone is really important as a chemical signal that we need for daily bodily function and throughout our life, it's a major player in regulating our brain development and function, our growth, pubertal developments, metabolism, which means the way we use the food that we eat and turn it into energy for growing and doing things.
Host: So if the thyroid is off or not producing the correct hormones or the way it should be producing hormones, it can affect a lot of functions in the body then?
Dr. Katherine Vu-Boast: Yeah, absolutely. A fun part of what I do is that I get to take a look at all organ systems because this simple little gland affects pretty much everything, especially in a growing child or adolescent.
Host: Yeah. So let's talk about that. What are the most common thyroid disorders in children then?
Dr. Katherine Vu-Boast: Well, broadly you can kind of divide it into two major categories. The most common is hypothyroidism, which means that your thyroid gland isn't producing enough thyroid hormone. And then on the opposite side, you have hyperthyroidism meaning excessive thyroid hormone production.
Host: So hyperthyroidism and then hypothyroidism. That's really interesting. So then what are some of the common signs and symptoms that would be seen in a child with a thyroid disorder?
Dr. Katherine Vu-Boast: Sure. It depends a little bit on what age the child is being diagnosed with this. For example, it can present very differently in a newborn versus a child or a teenager. Sometimes on the newborns, you may not see much signs and that's why universally throughout all 50 States in the US, we do newborn screening that includes checking for a thyroid disorder.
In an older child, if you have hypothyroidism meaning low thyroid hormone, it can lead to poor growth, meaning height gain. It can also lead to unexplained weight gain, poor cognitive function. You may notice your child is not performing as well in school or having trouble paying attention. They may have low energy, constipation and some other symptoms.
Host: So then if your child does have hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, what are some treatment options?
Dr. Katherine Vu-Boast: So hypothyroidism is treated by replacing the thyroid hormone that their body is having trouble making on its own. This is easily done by a small tablet of thyroid hormone that's taken by mouth once a day. It's simple enough to take that even some of our smallest babies have no trouble at all taking it. It does also come into dissolving tablet, making it even easier for some of our patients who have difficulty swallowing the pill.
We often also get asked by the way about other treatment options that might seem enticing, such as over-the-counter thyroid supplements often marketed a thyroid booster or a thyroid support pill. But the problem with these is that they're not really regulated and therefore, the amount of actual thyroid hormone in them, the types of thyroid hormone in them, and the presence of other impurities is inconsistent and unreliable. So it can be dangerous if taken without proper supervision.
Host: Right. That makes sense. So for a child with a thyroid disorder, do they often grow out of it or is this something they have to manage throughout their whole life?
Dr. Katherine Vu-Boast: The vast majority of cases of run-of-the-mill hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism generally is a lifelong condition. Regarding hyperthyroidism where your thyroid gland makes too much thyroid hormone, there are some cases that can go into remission, but it's not always guaranteed that it stays in remission. And so it should be monitored by the doctor to see if the thyroid function remains normal or eventually maybe that patient might require additional treatment.
Host: And then what kind of a doctor treats a child with a thyroid disorder?
Dr. Katherine Vu-Boast: It's a collaborative effort, really. Sometimes the child's primary care doctor is the first one to notice or detect that something's going on with the thyroid gland. Virtually, all of these patients eventually get referred to a pediatric endocrinologist, which is what I do as a hormone specialist. I think this is especially helpful since sometimes interpreting the various types of thyroid lab results can be complicated. And then I would also say all cases of hyperthyroidism are definitely treated by a pediatric endocrinologist, sometimes collaborating with a surgeon, a radiologist, or a nuclear medicine doctor, depending on which treatment modality is best suited to that particular patient.
Host: And if a parent thinks their child might have a thyroid disorder, where would they go to get a consultation?
Dr. Katherine Vu-Boast: t's never a bad idea to talk to your primary care doctor to help kind of hone down what the problem might be. But you can certainly get in touch with us at UPMC Children's Specialty Services. A group of us work in the pediatric endocrinology division there and see patients including those with thyroid disorders near Harrisburg.
Host: Well, this has really been interesting. When I think of thyroid disorders, I usually think about adults, but knowing that children can have this as well, I'm sure it's eye-opening for a lot of parents. So Dr. Vu-Boast, thank you so much for your time. This has really been informative. Thank you again.
Dr. Katherine Vu-Boast: Absolutely. Thank you for having me.
Host: That's Dr. Katherine Vu-Boast and to learn more, please visit UPMCPinnacle.com/childrensspecialtyservices, all one word, children's specialty services. And if you found this podcast helpful, please share it on your social channels and check out the full podcast library for topics of interest to you.
This is Healthier You, a podcast from UPMC Pinnacle. I'm Bill Klaproth. Thanks for listening.
Host: So what is the function of the thyroid? What are some of the most common thyroid disorders in children and how are they treated? With us to discuss thyroidism in children and UPMC's Children's Specialty Services is Dr. Katherine Vu-Boast, a pediatric endocrinologist at UPMC Pinnacle.
This is Healthier You, a podcast from UPMC Pinnacle. I'm Bill Klaproth. Dr. Vu-Boast, it is great to talk with you. Thank you so much for your time. So first off, can you explain to us what is the function of the thyroid?
Dr. Katherine Vu-Boast: Sure. This little gland is a bow-tie shaped gland that is at the bottom front of everybody's neck. And its main job is to produce thyroid hormone. Thyroid hormone is really important as a chemical signal that we need for daily bodily function and throughout our life, it's a major player in regulating our brain development and function, our growth, pubertal developments, metabolism, which means the way we use the food that we eat and turn it into energy for growing and doing things.
Host: So if the thyroid is off or not producing the correct hormones or the way it should be producing hormones, it can affect a lot of functions in the body then?
Dr. Katherine Vu-Boast: Yeah, absolutely. A fun part of what I do is that I get to take a look at all organ systems because this simple little gland affects pretty much everything, especially in a growing child or adolescent.
Host: Yeah. So let's talk about that. What are the most common thyroid disorders in children then?
Dr. Katherine Vu-Boast: Well, broadly you can kind of divide it into two major categories. The most common is hypothyroidism, which means that your thyroid gland isn't producing enough thyroid hormone. And then on the opposite side, you have hyperthyroidism meaning excessive thyroid hormone production.
Host: So hyperthyroidism and then hypothyroidism. That's really interesting. So then what are some of the common signs and symptoms that would be seen in a child with a thyroid disorder?
Dr. Katherine Vu-Boast: Sure. It depends a little bit on what age the child is being diagnosed with this. For example, it can present very differently in a newborn versus a child or a teenager. Sometimes on the newborns, you may not see much signs and that's why universally throughout all 50 States in the US, we do newborn screening that includes checking for a thyroid disorder.
In an older child, if you have hypothyroidism meaning low thyroid hormone, it can lead to poor growth, meaning height gain. It can also lead to unexplained weight gain, poor cognitive function. You may notice your child is not performing as well in school or having trouble paying attention. They may have low energy, constipation and some other symptoms.
Host: So then if your child does have hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, what are some treatment options?
Dr. Katherine Vu-Boast: So hypothyroidism is treated by replacing the thyroid hormone that their body is having trouble making on its own. This is easily done by a small tablet of thyroid hormone that's taken by mouth once a day. It's simple enough to take that even some of our smallest babies have no trouble at all taking it. It does also come into dissolving tablet, making it even easier for some of our patients who have difficulty swallowing the pill.
We often also get asked by the way about other treatment options that might seem enticing, such as over-the-counter thyroid supplements often marketed a thyroid booster or a thyroid support pill. But the problem with these is that they're not really regulated and therefore, the amount of actual thyroid hormone in them, the types of thyroid hormone in them, and the presence of other impurities is inconsistent and unreliable. So it can be dangerous if taken without proper supervision.
Host: Right. That makes sense. So for a child with a thyroid disorder, do they often grow out of it or is this something they have to manage throughout their whole life?
Dr. Katherine Vu-Boast: The vast majority of cases of run-of-the-mill hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism generally is a lifelong condition. Regarding hyperthyroidism where your thyroid gland makes too much thyroid hormone, there are some cases that can go into remission, but it's not always guaranteed that it stays in remission. And so it should be monitored by the doctor to see if the thyroid function remains normal or eventually maybe that patient might require additional treatment.
Host: And then what kind of a doctor treats a child with a thyroid disorder?
Dr. Katherine Vu-Boast: It's a collaborative effort, really. Sometimes the child's primary care doctor is the first one to notice or detect that something's going on with the thyroid gland. Virtually, all of these patients eventually get referred to a pediatric endocrinologist, which is what I do as a hormone specialist. I think this is especially helpful since sometimes interpreting the various types of thyroid lab results can be complicated. And then I would also say all cases of hyperthyroidism are definitely treated by a pediatric endocrinologist, sometimes collaborating with a surgeon, a radiologist, or a nuclear medicine doctor, depending on which treatment modality is best suited to that particular patient.
Host: And if a parent thinks their child might have a thyroid disorder, where would they go to get a consultation?
Dr. Katherine Vu-Boast: t's never a bad idea to talk to your primary care doctor to help kind of hone down what the problem might be. But you can certainly get in touch with us at UPMC Children's Specialty Services. A group of us work in the pediatric endocrinology division there and see patients including those with thyroid disorders near Harrisburg.
Host: Well, this has really been interesting. When I think of thyroid disorders, I usually think about adults, but knowing that children can have this as well, I'm sure it's eye-opening for a lot of parents. So Dr. Vu-Boast, thank you so much for your time. This has really been informative. Thank you again.
Dr. Katherine Vu-Boast: Absolutely. Thank you for having me.
Host: That's Dr. Katherine Vu-Boast and to learn more, please visit UPMCPinnacle.com/childrensspecialtyservices, all one word, children's specialty services. And if you found this podcast helpful, please share it on your social channels and check out the full podcast library for topics of interest to you.
This is Healthier You, a podcast from UPMC Pinnacle. I'm Bill Klaproth. Thanks for listening.