Patient: one month old, TSH 17.3 not treated What kind of help do I want to ask; how is it treated, is there free treatment for this congenital disease in the country, can it be cured in your hospital? Laboratory and test results: Due to the lack of equipment in my home hospital, I was only able to test for TSH, which was 17.3. Last seen at: Suining People’s Hospital, Shaoyang, Hunan
Patient: I would like to ask Dr. Su, if a newborn baby has this disease, if the treatment, is it with medicine or injection, is it a one-time cure, or does it need long-term treatment, the test at home hospital is only TSH, no T3T4, TSH is 17.3 This is not a proof of treatment, I heard that now the state has free treatment for congenital disease, is it true? Can the Haining People’s Hospital treat it and how much does it cost to treat it? Wang** Su Yaqun, Department of Endocrinology, Haining People’s Hospital
Su Yaqun, Department of Endocrinology, Haining People’s Hospital.
Hello, Wang.
If hypothyroidism is suspected in neonatal screening, the serum T4 and TSH concentrations must be tested, and the diagnosis can be confirmed if T4 decreases and TSH increases. Once the disease is diagnosed, it should be treated as soon as possible to reduce the damage to brain development. Most cases of congenital hypothyroidism require lifelong medication or the disease will be lost. Only some children have temporary hypothyroidism in the newborn due to the presence of autoantibodies from the mother’s anti-thyroid medication or autoimmune disease, which affects the fetus and usually disappears within three months.
Since hypothyroidism can cause intellectual backwardness, growth retardation and low physiological function, early diagnosis and early treatment must be emphasized, and the prognosis is generally better if treatment is started within three months. If treatment is started after six months, although growth and development can be improved, intelligence will still be seriously damaged.
Wang, please take your child to the pediatric department of the local tertiary hospital as soon as possible to avoid delaying your child. As for whether the treatment is free or not, I am not very clear. You can consult with your local hospital.