<p>My allergist (!) diagnosed my hypothyroidism and sent me to an endocrinologist. I took my Synthroid and didn’t ask questions. It wasn’t until that endo stopped taking my insurance and I got a new doctor that she told me I had “Hashimoto’s.” Again, I took my Synthroid and didn’t ask questions. A few months ago I started doing a bit more reading on Hashimotos and other autoimmune conditions.</p>
<p>After I realized that autoimmune issues run in families, as each of my kids had their doctors’ appointments, I asked for a full thyroid panel. At 20, 18 and 15, they are three for three in highly elevated thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibodies. The two oldest are “subclinical” but the youngest already has elevated TSH and has been referred to a pediatric endocrinologist. No wonder my Skinny Minnie isn’t skinny anymore!</p>
<p>If you as a parent have Hashimotos or other autoimmune condition, you may want to have your kids tested. As you know, they should run a full panel, not just T3 and T4. Remember that hypothyroidism can cause infertility issues in girls…which may be a blessing in their teens, LOL, but not later when they wish to start a family.</p>
<p>Good thought. I have had Hashimotos since I was a teen and I did have all three of my kids checked when they hit their teen years. My father has thyroid disease and it runs in families although “typically” we hear women asking about it. I’m well controlled except I feel like I have to work 10x as hard as everyone else to keep my weight normal. Of my three boys only one is showing signs of elevated TPO. I had no problems getting pregnant and was quite the fertile Myrtle but that can be an issue for some women, another reason for young women who have any suspicions to have their MD check it out. In my teens my mom thought I was stretched too thin (sports, clubs, working, etc.) and I thought I had mono but my TSH and TPO were waaay off the charts and I was originally diagnosed with myxedema because I had so many other things wrong at the time.</p>
<p>That’s the thing…it is so stereotypical for teen girls to (1) gain weight, and (2) be tired all the time. We just tell them to eat better, get more exercise and go to bed earlier. Most parents would not elevate those complaints to the level of a doctor’s visit, unless the weight gain and tiredness are severe.</p>
<p>H also needs to take synthroid. He developed it in recent years & the doc said it was as a result of a cold or something. Thanks for this timely reminder–we will ask the docs to have D get a full thyroid panel. D is often exhausted and depleted & maybe the thyroid is playing some role, tho we believe the allergist IS checking it.</p>