There are hundreds of diseases in the world that many people do not know about. Cretinism is a disease that many people have not heard of, including myself, before I started to research it. Granted the disease is not very common and mainly occurs in newborns, it is important that everyone knows what it is and how it occurs. Cretinism is a disease of the thyroid gland also more commonly known as congenital hypothyroidism. The thyroid gland is an endocrine gland located in the anterior part of the neck (Virtual Medical Centre, 2008). Cretinism is classified into two types known as Endemic Cretinism and Myxedamatous Cretinism. Endemic Cretinism is caused by insufficient iodine intake, and Myxedamatous Cretinism is mental detainment and causes
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T4 and T3 are the hormones that are generally secreted by the thyroid gland. T4 is known as thyroxine and T3 is known as triiodothyronine. Since our bodies only need a small amount of T3, it’s not as a concern, but the hormone is still needed. When a newborn experiences cretinism it may result in underdevelopment or abnormal development of the thyroid gland, and cause failure of stimulation of the thyroid gland, by the pituitary. It may also lead to abnormal synthesis of the thyroid hormones needed (Virtual Medical Centre, …show more content…
This test, tests for high levels of TSH and low levels of T4, and it is an indicator for cretinism. This test is usually done in the first 24 to 72 hours after birth and takes five to seven days to complete but is shown to be very accurate. Cretinism can be prevented if low levels of T4 is caught within the first couple months of life. Early diagnosis is essential, and can create the cretinism to be reversible. If not treated in the first few months there can be critical development to the nervous system and can cause mental development for the patient. X-rays of the baby’s legs can also be done to show the bone ends at the new joints. The doctors can also tell from the x-rays if there are immature appearances and helps with the diagnosis (Virtual Medical Centre, 2008). On an x-ray of the chest it may look like the patient has cardiomegaly, and on x-rays of long bones it may look to have ossification near the epiphysis (How’s Health,
T4 and T3 are the hormones that are generally secreted by the thyroid gland. T4 is known as thyroxine and T3 is known as triiodothyronine. Since our bodies only need a small amount of T3, it’s not as a concern, but the hormone is still needed. When a newborn experiences cretinism it may result in underdevelopment or abnormal development of the thyroid gland, and cause failure of stimulation of the thyroid gland, by the pituitary. It may also lead to abnormal synthesis of the thyroid hormones needed (Virtual Medical Centre, …show more content…
This test, tests for high levels of TSH and low levels of T4, and it is an indicator for cretinism. This test is usually done in the first 24 to 72 hours after birth and takes five to seven days to complete but is shown to be very accurate. Cretinism can be prevented if low levels of T4 is caught within the first couple months of life. Early diagnosis is essential, and can create the cretinism to be reversible. If not treated in the first few months there can be critical development to the nervous system and can cause mental development for the patient. X-rays of the baby’s legs can also be done to show the bone ends at the new joints. The doctors can also tell from the x-rays if there are immature appearances and helps with the diagnosis (Virtual Medical Centre, 2008). On an x-ray of the chest it may look like the patient has cardiomegaly, and on x-rays of long bones it may look to have ossification near the epiphysis (How’s Health,