Children as well as adults are at risk for thyroid disease, and some types have a genetic aspect, including autoimmune thyroid condition. The disease may present during childhood, but is more likely to strike girls during puberty. Other risk points for children include congenital hypothyroidism at birth, thyroid problems resulting from radiation exposure, and fetuses and newborns whose mothers suffer from improperly treated Graves’ disease and hyperthyroidism. Five to ten percent of thyroid cancers are attributed to hereditary factors, so children with family members who have genetic mutations or a history of multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) should be closely monitored.
Read full article here: Your Children and the Risk of Thyroid Disease
