Congenital Hypothyroidism Apa Format

Running head: CONGENITAL HYPOTHYROIDISM

Congenital Hypothyroidism: Signs, Symptoms, Treatments and Prevention

Angela Murphy

Rasmussen College

Author Note

This paper is being submitted on November 8, 2015, for Angela Murphy’s

G150/PHA1500 Section 07 Structure and Function of the Human Body Course.

Congenital Hypothyroidism

Congenital Hypothyroidism (CH) is a disease that can be diagnosed shortly after birth. CH is a deficiency in the production of the thyroid hormone at birth. It is typically caused by a problem with the development of the thyroid gland or the production of the thyroid hormone (Rastogi & LaFranchi, 2010). This disease affects nearly one in four thousand infants at birth (Levitsky & Straussman, 2012). The author further identified that the incidence rate has significantly increased due to early screening and diagnosis. Left untreated the infant will display abnormal signs and symptoms including poor feeding, short stature and developmental delay. Daniel (2014) provided support for early diagnosis and treatment of CH to help prevent long term consequences of this disorder. The authors also indicated the need for immediate treatment for this disorder to help prevent permanent physiological and developmental issues.

Infants born with CH can develop certain signs and symptoms of the disorder if left untreated. The production of the thyroid hormone is essential for normal growth and development. Rastogi & LaFranchi (2010) identified that infants with CH during their first few weeks of life are typically asymptomatic because of the thyroid hormone levels provided by the mother. However, once the maternal thyroid levels diminish the infant will start to display specific signs and symptoms of the disorder. Daniel and Kemp (2014) outlined certain signs and symptoms of infants born and left untreated with CH. These may include short stature, developmental delay, hoarse cry, mental retardation, atopic dermatitis, anemia, constipation...