Health problems:

Description:

The goitre is diffuse or nodular enlargement of thyroid gland. In children the most often reason is insufficient iodine intake. Other factors could play a role - bad style of living, heavy occupational work, unvaried feeding. Usually there are not violations of the thyroid function. The most severe and dangerous complication is developing of thyroid gland cancer. The big size of the goitre can press trachea and oesophagi. Clinical signs are coughing, shortness of breath, swallowing disturbance. The treatment of diffuse goitres in childhood is with iodine drugs. The nodule goitres have to be operated.