Thyroid tantrums in teenagers

Thyroid disorders can be difficult to manage, especially in childhood and adolescence. Sudden fluctuations may occur in thyroid function, due to a variety of physiological, pathological, pharmacological and psychosocial reasons. This communication describes the etiology and management of such conditions. We term these fluctuations as thyroid tantrums, and define them as sudden disruptions in thyroid function, in persons on treatment for hypothyroidism. Thyroid tantrums may be recognized clinically or on the basis of laboratory findings. A pragmatic approach to management, focusing on therapy assessment, testing technique, targeting biomedical illness and training, is suggested in this article.