Your baby''s body performs many functions and different systems are responsible for these functions. One such system is the endocrine system, which produces and releases hormones that act as chemical messengers and help control many important bodily functions such as growth, development, metabolism, and reproduction. A child''s development from infancy to adulthood requires the endocrine system to function properly and efficiently. If there is a shortage or excess of hormones, the baby''s growth may be affected. In simple terms, excess or deficiency of a certain hormone can lead to an imbalance in the body which can be termed as endocrine disorders in children. Some disorders may require treatment with medication while some life-threatening diseases may require surgical procedures. Problems with growth, puberty, and sexual development often have their roots in the endocrine system in children. However, having a fair understanding of endocrine disorders in children can help you seek medical attention for your child as soon as possible.
The major glands of the pediatric endocrine system include the pineal gland, pituitary gland, pancreas, ovaries, testes, thyroid, parathyroid glands, hypothalamus, and adrenal glands.
Some of the common pediatric endocrine disorders are as follows
● congenital goiter (an endocrine disorder in children)
● delayed puberty
● Diabetes mellitus in children and adolescents
● Turner syndrome
● Growth hormone deficiency in children
● Hyperthyroidism in infants and children
● Hypothyroidism in infants and children
● Hypogonadism in children
● precocious puberty
● Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (an endocrine disorder in children)
● congenital goiter
Congenital goiter (a pediatric endocrine disorder) is an enlarged thyroid gland present at birth.
An enlarged thyroid gland may produce too much thyroid hormone (hyperthyroidism), too little thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism), or sometimes a normal amount.
Endocrine causes in children
Congenital goiter may be caused by the following
1. Imbalance in the production of thyroid hormone
2. Maternal antibodies that cross the placenta and affect the thyroid gland
3. Chemicals or drugs taken by the mother during pregnancy that cross the placenta
Endocrine treatment in children
1. Children with hypothyroidism are given oral thyroid hormone replacement therapy.
2. A goiter that causes difficulty breathing and swallowing can be treated surgically.
● delayed puberty
What is delayed puberty in children?
This means that the physical signs of a child''s sexual maturity do not appear at the age of 12 years in girls or at the age of 14 years in boys. This includes breast or testicular development, pubic hair, and voice changes. These traits are known as secondary sexual characteristics.
the reasons
There is often no known cause for delayed puberty. But it may be caused by any of the following:
1. Chromosomal problems
2. A genetic disorder
3. Chronic disease
4. Tumors of the pituitary or hypothalamus (an endocrine disorder in children)
5. Hypopituitarism (an endocrine disorder in children)
6. Hypothyroidism (an endocrine disorder in children)
7. Abnormal development of the reproductive system
8. The body''s inability to respond to the hormone androgen
9. Lots of exercise
10. Severe lack of eating (anorexia)
treatment
The doctor takes into account the child''s age, general health, and other factors when advising treatment.
Treatment for delayed puberty depends on the cause of the problem. In many cases, when the cause is treated, puberty continues normally. If delayed puberty is inherited, treatment is usually not needed. In some cases, treatment may be done with hormonal therapy. This helps cause secondary sexual characteristics to occur. In other cases, surgery may be performed to correct a physical problem.
● Diabetes mellitus in children and adolescents
Juvenile diabetes is a disease that requires lifelong follow-up and treatment. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the immune system attacks and destroys pancreatic cells called beta cells that produce insulin. Insulin is a hormone that helps sugar, or glucose, enter cells to give them energy.
In the absence of insulin, too much sugar remains in the bloodstream. This could lead to a life-threatening condition.
the reasons
Glucose comes from food and is the main source of energy for your body. After you eat, your body breaks down the food into glucose, which is absorbed into your bloodstream. The glucose level rises, which stimulates the pancreas to produce insulin and release it into the bloodstream. Type 1 diabetes is a result of the pancreas not producing any insulin. This is caused by an autoimmune reaction where the body destroys the cells of the pancreas that make insulin. The causes of type 1 diabetes are still being researched. Possible causes include:
● Genes (inherited from the family)
● Virus or trigger from the environment
Treating diabetes in children
Treatment for type 1 diabetes is lifelong and requires daily insulin injections or the use of an insulin pump. The pump contains a reservoir filled with insulin and the pump is worn outside the body. These treatments help control blood glucose levels.
● Turner syndrome
Turner syndrome is a rare genetic condition in which a female does not have the usual pair of X chromosomes.
the reasons
The typical number of human chromosomes is 46. Chromosomes contain all genes and DNA and are the building blocks of the body. Two of these chromosomes are the sex chromosomes and they determine whether you will become a boy or a girl.
Females usually have 2 of the same XX sex chromosomes.
Males have an X and a Y chromosome (written as XY).
In Turner syndrome, cells lose all or part of the X chromosome. The condition only occurs in females. Most commonly, a woman with Turner syndrome has only one X chromosome. Others may have 2 X chromosomes but one is incomplete. Sometimes a female has some cells that contain 2 chromosomes but other cells contain only one cell.
Turner syndrome treatment
There is no cure for Turner syndrome, but many of its symptoms can be treated.
Medical examinations
Because of the risk of complications, regular medical check-ups, care, and preventative treatment are important for girls and women with Turner syndrome.
● Congenital hypothyroidism
Congenital hypothyroidism (a pediatric endocrine disorder) is a partial or complete loss of thyroid function that affects children from birth (congenital). The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped tissue in the lower neck. It makes iodine-containing hormones that play an important role in regulating growth, brain development, and the rate of chemical reactions in the body (metabolism). People with congenital hypothyroidism have lower than normal levels of these important hormones.
the reasons
Congenital hypothyroidism can be caused by a variety of factors, only some of which are hereditary. The most common cause worldwide is iodine deficiency in the diet of the affected mother and infant. Iodine is necessary for the production of thyroid hormones. Genetic causes account for about 15 to 20 percent of cases of congenital hypothyroidism.
The most common type of congenital hypothyroidism is usually caused by abnormalities in the formation of the thyroid gland
treatment
Hypothyroidism is treated with thyroid hormone.
Goiters that impair breathing and swallowing can be treated surgically.
