Your child''s body performs many functions and there are different systems 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 body 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 deficiency or excess of hormones, the child''s growth may be affected. In simple terms, excessive or deficient secretion of a particular hormone can lead to an imbalance in the body which can be called endocrine disorders in children. Some disorders may require treatment with medications while some life-threatening diseases may require surgeries. Problems with growth, puberty, and sexual development often have their roots in the children''s endocrine system. However, a fair understanding of endocrine disorders in children can help you seek medical attention for your child as soon as possible.
The major glands in the pediatric endocrine system include the pineal gland, pituitary gland, pancreas, ovaries, testes, thyroid, parathyroid glands, hypothalamus, and adrenal glands.
Some common pediatric endocrine disorders are as follows
● Congenital goiter (an endocrine disorder in children)
● Delayed puberty
● Diabetes in children and adolescents
● Turner syndrome
● Growth hormone deficiency in children
● Hyperthyroidism in infants and children
● Hypothyroidism in infants and children
● Hypogonadism in children
● Early puberty
● Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (an endocrine disorder in children)
● Congenital goiter
Congenital goiter (a pediatric endocrine disorder) is an enlargement of the 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
1. A defect in the production of thyroid hormone
2. Antibodies from the mother 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. Goiter, which 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 age 12 in girls or at age 14 in boys. This includes breast or testicular growth, 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. Genetic disorder
3. Chronic disease
4. Tumors of the pituitary gland or hypothalamus (an endocrine disorder in children)
5. Underactive pituitary gland (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 androgen hormone
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 sex characteristics. In other cases surgery may be performed to correct a physical problem.
● Diabetes in children and adolescents
Childhood diabetes is a disease that requires lifelong monitoring 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 can lead to a life-threatening condition.
the reasons
Glucose comes from food and is your body''s main source of energy. After eating, your body breaks down 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 the result of the pancreas not producing any insulin. This is caused by an autoimmune reaction in which the body destroys the pancreatic cells that make insulin. The causes of type 1 diabetes are still being researched. Possible causes include:
● Genes (inherited from the family)
● Virus or stimulus from the environment
Treatment of 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 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 occurs only in females. Most commonly, a woman with Turner syndrome has only one X chromosome. Others may have 2 X chromosomes but one of them is incomplete. Sometimes the female has some cells that contain 2 chromosomes, but other cells contain only one cell.
Treatment of Turner syndrome
There is no cure for Turner syndrome, but many of the symptoms associated with it can be treated.
Medical examinations
Regular medical examinations, care, and preventive treatment are important for girls and women with Turner syndrome because of the risk of complications.
● Congenital hypothyroidism
Congenital hypothyroidism (an endocrine disorder in children) is a partial or complete loss of thyroid function that affects children from birth (congenital). The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped tissue at the bottom of the 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, some of which are hereditary. The most common cause worldwide is iodine deficiency in the diet of the mother and the affected 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 dysgenesis of the thyroid gland
treatment
Hypothyroidism is treated with thyroid hormone.
Goiter, which impairs breathing and swallowing, can be treated surgically.
