Thursday, January 20, 2011

Kate update

If you remember, two weeks ago Kate had a repeat case of strep throat. Maybe that was a blessing in disguise, because her pediatrician noticed her thyroid was enlarged. On Tuesday of this week, I brought her (with Olivia) to see him again now that she wasn't sick. Her Dr. said that her thyroid is double the size of a normal thyroid. Holy cow!
They she had some blood drawn. You would have thought she had her arm amputated the way she was nursing that little poke...but that's my Kate. Here are the results: she has an underactive thyroid. At first I panicked b/c the letter sent here said she was showing signs of thyriod failure! But I called him, and he assured me that she was okay. Her readings were alarming to me, because I also have an underactive thyroid. When I got pregnant with Brady, my TSH level was 20. Anything over 5 means it's underactive. I felt horrid. Kate's is 29! But her pituitary something reading was good, so he figured that's why she is feeling okay.
So she will be on medication for the rest of her life like I am.
So....the moral of the story is....
1. Look at your child's neck. If it seems to look larger than normal, as your doctor.
2. If you child has severe dry skin, achy legs, thin hair, is lethargic, or tired, talk to your doctor.

**Really the only 'symptoms' Kate has had is frequent achy legs (which I sort of blew off) and very dry skin. But she's always had dry skin, so who knows.

I also had Olivia's blood tested today, because the Dr. said that she had a borderline enlarged thyroid AND she is always, always, always tired. Lucky for her, her readings are normal so far.

So there you have it...nothing is ever boring around here!

1 comment:

TBRKO said...

Ha! I was tested back when I was 18 for an underactive thyroid...being overly thin is one symptom. BUT I have the underactive thyroid....so actually a symptom is weight gain.
And I am not "so damn skinny." :)