The spectrum of thyroid diseases in childhood and its evolution during transition to adulthood: Natural history, diagnosis, differential diagnosis and management

In this contribution, we review current knowledge on the pathogenesis, diag nosis and differential diagnosis of thyroid disorders in childhood and adol escence, as well as present an update on therapy methods and management gui delines for these disorders. This overview is conceptually divided into two parts, one focusing on thyroid functional disorders, i.e. conditions leadi ng to hyper- and hypothyroidism, and another one pertinent to structural ab normalities of the thyroid gland, i.e. nodular disorders and thyroid cancer . Currently, congenital hypothyroidism is diagnosed in a much more timely f ashion rather than in the past, rendering hypothyroidism-related mental ret ardation and developmental deficits very rare in newborns and children and, hence, diminishing significantly its public health impact. At the same tim e, considerable advances have occurred in our understanding of the molecula r basis of several genetic conditions affecting the thyroid gland in childh ood, such as familial non-autoimmune hyperthyroidism, as well as of the pat hways leading to thyroid neoplasia. (C) 2001, Editrice Kurtis.