Physical and intellectual development in children with congenital hypothyroidism

Twenty four patients (14 girls and 10 boys aged six months to 23 years) with congenital hypothyroidism were studied. The diagnoses of all subjects were made 15 days to one year after birth. After being diagnosed, each child was started immediately on replacement hormonotherapy. Parameters of their physical and mental development were analyzed depending on the type of thyroid disorder, patient age at the beginning of treatment and the adequacy of treatment. These parameters were within the normal limits for 71 percent of the patients. However, the remaining 29 percent of the patients were mentally retarded. The authors' assumption is that the lower intellectual parameters for these patients were primarily a result of delayed diagnoses and irregularly conducted treatments in household surroundings.