Home Speech and language delay in two children: an unusual presentation of hyperthyroidism
Article
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

Speech and language delay in two children: an unusual presentation of hyperthyroidism

  • Aman P.S. Sohal EMAIL logo , Madhuri Dasarathi , Rajib Lodh , Tim Cheetham and Anita M. Devlin
Published/Copyright: May 30, 2013

Abstract

Background: Hyperthyroidism is rare in pre-school children. Untreated, it can have a profound effect on normal growth and development, particularly in the first 2 years of life. Although neurological manifestations of dysthyroid states are well known, specific expressive speech and language disorder as a presentation of hyperthyroidism is rarely documented

Methods: Case reports of two children with hyperthyroidism presenting with speech and language delay.

Results: We report two pre-school children with hyperthyroidism, who presented with expressive speech and language delay, and demonstrated a significant improvement in their language skills following treatment with anti-thyroid medication.

Conclusions: Hyperthyroidism must be considered in all children presenting with speech and language difficulties, particularly expressive speech delay. Prompt recognition and early treatment are likely to improve outcome.


Corresponding author: Aman P.S. Sohal, Department of Paediatric Neurology, The Great North Children’s Hospital, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK, Phone: +44-191-2566161 (Ext. 23770), Fax: +44-191-2563019, E-mail:

References

1. Williamson S, Greene SA. Incidence of thyrotoxicosis in childhood: a national population based study in the UK and Ireland. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 2010;72:358–63.10.1111/j.1365-2265.2009.03717.xSearch in Google Scholar

2. Forssberg M, Arvidsson CG, Engvall J, Lindblad C, Snellman K, et al. Increasing incidence of childhood thyrotoxicosis in a population-based area of central Sweden. Acta Paediatr 2004;93:25–9.10.1111/j.1651-2227.2004.tb00669.xSearch in Google Scholar

3. Kumorowicz-Kopiec M, Dziatkowiak H, Starzyk J, Nizankowska-Błaz T, Rybakowa M. (Incidence of Graves’ disease in children in some regions of southeastern Poland). Przegl Lek 2004;61:872–5.Search in Google Scholar

4. Lavard L, Ranløv I, Perrild H, Andersen O, Jacobsen BB. Incidence of juvenile thyrotoxicosis in Denmark, 1982–1988. A nationwide study. Eur J Endocrinol 1994;130:565–8.10.1530/eje.0.1300565Search in Google Scholar

5. Howdeshell KL. A model of the development of the brain as a construct of the thyroid system. Environ Health Perspect 2002;110:337–48.10.1289/ehp.02110s3337Search in Google Scholar

6. Segni M, Leonardi E, Mazzoncini B, Pucarelli I, Pasquino AM. Special features of Graves’ disease in early childhood. Thyroid 1999;9:871–7.10.1089/thy.1999.9.871Search in Google Scholar

7. Park RW, Frasier SD. Hyperthyroidism under 2 years of age. Am J Dis Child 1970;120:157–9.10.1001/archpedi.1970.02100070101015Search in Google Scholar

8. Robinson DC, Hall R, Munro DS. Graves’s disease, an unusual complication: raised intracranial pressure due to premature fusion of skull sutures. Arch Dis Child 1969;44:252–7.10.1136/adc.44.234.252Search in Google Scholar

9. Kopelman AE. Delayed cerebral development in twins with congenital hyperthyroidism. Am J Dis Child 1983;137: 842–5.10.1001/archpedi.1983.02140350020006Search in Google Scholar

10. Daneman D, Howard NJ. Neonatal thyrotoxicosis: intellectual impairment and craniosynostosis in later years J Pediatr 1980;97:257–9.10.1016/S0022-3476(80)80487-2Search in Google Scholar

11. Crile G Jr, Blanton LJ. Exophthalmic goiter in a boy two and one-half years of age. Am J Dis Child 1937;53:1039–46.10.1001/archpedi.1937.04140110109011Search in Google Scholar

12. Altman LD. Juvenile thyrotoxicosis treated with propyl thiouracil and two subtotal thyroidectomies. J Pediatr 1950;36:244–6.10.1016/S0022-3476(50)80212-3Search in Google Scholar

13. Suresh PA, Sebastian S, George A, Radhakrishnan K. Subclinical hyperthyroidism and hyperkinetic behavior in children. Pediatr Neurol 1999;20:192–4.10.1016/S0887-8994(98)00133-7Search in Google Scholar

Received: 2013-2-5
Accepted: 2013-4-18
Published Online: 2013-05-30
Published in Print: 2013-11-01

©2013 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin Boston

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Masthead
  2. Masthead
  3. Review article
  4. Application of imaging modalities for evaluating neuroblastoma
  5. Images in pediatric endocrinology
  6. Lingual thyroid
  7. Original articles
  8. A levothyroxine dose recommendation for the treatment of children and adolescents with autoimmune thyroiditis induced hypothyroidism
  9. Fasting glucagon-like peptide-1 in patients with overt hyperthyroidism and euthyroid congenital hypothyroidism
  10. Perinatal complications and higher risks of offspring thyroid dysfunction in early childhood of Graves’ disease mothers with euthyroidism
  11. Clinical characteristics and management of cranial diabetes insipidus in infants
  12. Desmopressin administration in children with central diabetes insipidus: a retrospective review
  13. An electronic surveillance system for monitoring the hospital presentation of nutritional vitamin D deficiency in children in Scotland
  14. Frequency and severity of ketoacidosis at onset of autoimmune type 1 diabetes over the past decade in children referred to a tertiary paediatric care centre: potential impact of a national programme highlighted
  15. Vitamin D status is associated with early markers of cardiovascular disease in prepubertal children
  16. Evaluation of bone mineral density in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus
  17. Observational study of diabetes management in type 1 diabetic school-age children during holiday versus school days
  18. Relationship of body mass index and GAD65 antibody status on β-cell secretion at diabetes onset in African-American children
  19. Serum dipeptidyl peptidase 4 activity in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus
  20. Concomitant autoantibodies in newly diagnosed diabetic children with transient celiac serology or proven celiac disease
  21. Assessment of user-friendliness of the Norditropin FlexPro for pediatric patients treated with recombinant human growth hormone: results of an open-label user survey
  22. Cognitive impairment and gray/white matter volume abnormalities in pediatric patients with Turner syndrome presenting with various karyotypes
  23. Prevalence of metabolic syndrome among urban Indian adolescents and its relation with insulin resistance (HOMA-IR)
  24. Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in obese Chilean children and association with gene variants of the leptin-melanocortin system
  25. Evaluation of serum neopterin levels and its relationship with adipokines in pediatric obesity-related nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and healthy adolescents
  26. Could GSD type I expand the spectrum of disorders with elevated plasma chitotriosidase activity?
  27. Patient reports
  28. Treatment of hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia because of diffuse nesidioblastosis with nifedipine after surgical therapies in a newborn
  29. Successful subcutaneous glucagon use for persistent hypoglycaemia in congenital hyperinsulinism
  30. A novel atypical presentation of insulin autoimmune syndrome (Hirata’s disease) in a child
  31. Diagnosis of septo-optic dysplasia in a neonate with hypernatremia, hypoglycemia, and persistent hypothermia
  32. Speech and language delay in two children: an unusual presentation of hyperthyroidism
  33. Lissencephaly presenting with congenital hypothyroidism
  34. PHEX gene mutation in a Chinese family with six cases of X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets
  35. Primary hyperparathyroidism as an extremely rare cause of secondary myelofibrosis in childhood
  36. A family with Camurati-Engelman disease: the role of the missense p.R218C mutation in TGFbeta1 in bones and endocrine glands
  37. A case of SCNN1A splicing mutation presenting as mild systemic pseudohypoaldosteronism type 1
  38. Central precocious puberty in a girl with Prader-Willi syndrome
  39. Type 1 diabetes mellitus in a patient with homozygous sickle cell anemia
  40. Short communication
  41. No impact of obesity susceptibility loci on weight regain after a lifestyle intervention in overweight children
  42. Letter to the Editor
  43. Reliability and validity of homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance and β-cell dysfunction in critically ill children with hyperglycemia
Downloaded on 21.9.2025 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/jpem-2013-0050/html?lang=en
Scroll to top button