Cretinism is a condition of severe physical and mental retardation due to iodine deficiency, and specifically due to deficiency of thyroid hormones during early pregnancy.

What is congenital hyperthyroidism?

Congenital hyperthyroidism was first recognized in infants born to mothers with Graves’ disease. The description of transplacental passage of the maternal thyroid stimulating antibodies elucidated the molecular mechanism in this major group of patients with “autoimmune congenital hyperthyroidism”.

Why does the lack of iodine cause cretinism?

In contrast, in severe iodine deficiency, maternal hypothyroidism does occur during pregnancy and the contribution of maternal thyroxine to the saturation of the triiodothyronine receptors of the brain of the growing fetus is decreased, resulting in the development of the neurological features of endemic cretinism.

What is thyroid cretinism?

Cretinism refers to severe hypothyroidism in an infant or child. This is classically the result of maternal iodine deficiency, and thankfully is increasingly rare.

What is thyroid deficiency?

Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) is a condition in which your thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough of certain crucial hormones. Hypothyroidism may not cause noticeable symptoms in the early stages.

What is primary congenital hypothyroidism?

Primary congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is a condition that affects the body’s thyroid gland, a small organ in the lower neck. People with CH are unable to produce enough thyroid hormone, a chemical that is essential for healthy growth and development.

What is the difference between congenital and acquired hypothyroidism?

Hypothyroidism in infants is usually congenital; acquired causes become more common with age. Most congenital causes involve dysgenesis of the gland, but genetic disorders affecting thyroid hormone synthesis may occur. Most hypothyroid infants are detected through routine newborn screening.

What is congenital iodine deficiency syndrome?

Congenital iodine deficiency syndrome (formerly known as cretinism) is a medical condition present at birth marked by impaired physical and mental development, due to insufficient thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism) often caused by insufficient dietary iodine during pregnancy.

Why does insufficient thyroid secretion in childhood cause cretinism?

Cretinism Definition It is the Iodine deficiency disorder associated with insufficient thyroid hormone activity occurring during fetal, infant or childhood phases. It is either due to extreme iodine deficiency, i.e. endemic cretinism or due to decreased synthesis of thyroid hormones, i.e. sporadic cretinism.

What is the difference between cretinism and dwarfism?

In several hormonal disorders and hereditary conditions dwarfism is associated with subnormal intelligence. Inadequate production of thyroid hormone during gestation and early infancy results in a condition known as cretinism, which is characterized by growth retardation and severe mental retardation.

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What condition is caused by iodine deficiency during pregnancy and is characterized by stunted growth deafness and mental retardation?

Severe iodine deficiency in utero causes a condition characterized by gross mental retardation along with varying degrees of short stature, deaf mutism, and spasticity that is termed cretinism.

What causes iodine deficiency disorder?

Iodine deficiency occurs when the soil is poor in iodine, causing a low concentration in food products and insufficient iodine intake in the population. When iodine requirements are not met, the thyroid may no longer be able to synthesize sufficient amounts of thyroid hormone.

How does iodine deficiency affect thyroid hormone?

Since iodine is used to make thyroid hormones, an iodine deficiency can cause your thyroid hormone levels to plummet. Given that thyroid hormones help control the speed of your metabolism, low thyroid hormone levels may cause it to slow down.

What is the main cause of thyroid problems?

Problems with the thyroid can be caused by: iodine deficiency. autoimmune diseases, in which the immune system attacks the thyroid, leading either to hyperthyroidism (caused by Graves’ disease) or hypothyroidism (caused by Hashimoto’s disease)

What are 2 types of thyroid disorders?

The two main types of thyroid disease are hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. Both conditions can be caused by other diseases that impact the way the thyroid gland works. Conditions that can cause hypothyroidism include: Thyroiditis: This condition is an inflammation (swelling) of the thyroid gland.

What affects thyroid?

• You get tested at different times of the day. …
• You go to different labs for testing. …
• You switch brands. …
• You skip pills. …
• You take the wrong dosage. …
• You’re inconsistent. …
• You become pregnant. …
• You take other medications.

How does congenital hypothyroidism happen?

What causes congenital hypothyroidism? Congenital hypothyroidism most often occurs when the thyroid gland does not develop properly, either because it is missing, is too small, or ends up in the wrong part of the neck. Sometimes the gland is formed properly but does not produce hormone in the right way.

What is congenital hypothyroidism symptoms?

Early signs of congenital hypothyroidism in a baby include: jaundice (yellow skin or eyes) sleeping longer or more often than usual. constipation. a large soft spot (fontanel) on the head.

When is congenital hypothyroidism diagnosed?

If the free T4 is low and the TSH is elevated, a diagnosis of congenital hypothyroidism is confirmed. The doctor may also recommend some form of imaging, such as an ultrasound exam or thyroid scan, to look for a specific cause of congenital hypothyroidism.

Is congenital hypothyroidism primary or secondary?

Permanent congenital hypothyroidism may be due to primary or secondary (central) causes. Primary causes include defects of thyroid gland development, deficiencies in thyroid hormone production, and hypothyroidism resulting from defects of TSH binding or signal transduction.

Is congenital hypothyroidism a metabolic disorder?

Metabolic disorders like congenital hypothyroidism (CH) and inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) are considerable cause of disease and death among children in both the advance and developing nations of the world with the prevalence of CH is about 1 per 3000–4000 and IEM is 1 in 800–2500 births in West [1, 2].

Is a severe congenital thyroid deficiency during childhood which leads to physical and mental deficiency?

The word “cretinism” is an old term for the state of mental and physical retardation resulting from untreated congenital hypothyroidism, usually due to iodine deficiency from birth because of low iodine levels in the soil and local food sources.

Which condition can occur if congenital hypothyroidism is not treated?

Some babies are born with a thyroid that is not fully developed or does not work properly. If untreated, congenital hypothyroidism can lead to intellectual disability link and growth failure—when a baby doesn’t grow as expected. Early treatment can prevent these problems.

What causes Myxoedema?

Myxedema is caused by an accumulation of tissue products, such as glycosaminoglycans, in the skin. Myxedema is almost always a result of hypothyroidism. Specific causes of hypothyroidism that can lead to myxedema include Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, thyroidectomy (surgical removal of the thyroid), and Graves’ disease.

What are the signs and symptoms of cretinism?

• lack of weight gain.
• stunted growth.
• fatigue, lethargy.
• poor feeding.
• thickened facial features.
• abnormal bone growth.
• mental retardation.
• very little crying.

What causes hypersecretion of growth hormone?

Gigantism and acromegaly are usually caused by a pituitary adenoma that secretes excessive amounts of growth hormone (GH); rarely, they are caused by non-pituitary tumors that secrete growth hormone–releasing hormone (GHRH). Gigantism occurs if GH hypersecretion begins in childhood, before closure of the epiphyses.

Where is growth hormone secreted?

Growth hormone (GH) is secreted by the anterior pituitary gland in a pulsatile fashion under the regulation of two hypothalamic peptides: GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) stimulates GH synthesis and secretion while somatostatin inhibits GH release.

What causes severe iodine deficiency during pregnancy quizlet?

Iodine deficiency during pregnancy can cause maternal and fetal hypothyroidism and impair neurological development of the fetus. The consequences depend upon the timing and severity of the hypothyroidism; the most severe manifestation is cretinism.

What is the most common cause of iodine deficiency?

What is the most common cause of iodine deficiency? Pregnancy and breastfeeding put women at risk for iodine deficiency.

What are functions of thyroid hormones?

Thyroid hormones affect every cell and all the organs of the body. They: Regulate the rate at which calories are burned, affecting weight loss or weight gain. Can slow down or speed up the heartbeat.

What are the effects of lack of adequate iodine in your system?

One of the most common results of low iodine is that your thyroid can’t make enough thyroid hormone, a condition called hypothyroidism. This might inflame the gland and cause a goiter, but not always. It could also thin your hair, dry your skin, and make you feel cold, tired, constipated, and depressed.