Re: iodine w/Down's syndrome

[Guest guest]

Hi Hope,

I don’t have any experience with Downs, hopefully someone else will be able to talk to you about that.

I would like to say that TSH is not a good test to find out thyroid function. Not good at all. FreeT3 and FreeT4 are the best tests to find out thyroid function. Also, symptoms are most important as well (cold hands and feet, weight gain, etc etc). Symptoms are the way doctors used to diagnose hypothyroidism in the olden days, and it is still very important how the patients feels as opposed to blood tests. But again, TSH is worthless for thyroid function. Iodine will be a help to your daughter as it is for most people; make sure you read the Commonly Asked Questions before starting, you will learn much there.

Kind regards,

Kathleen

moderator

iodine w/Down's syndrome

I have a 10 year old with Down syndrome. I am planning on incorporating this into her protocol at some point, once I understand everything better. Her TSH has always fluctuated, usually somewhere between 2-6. She also exhibits symptoms of hypo-thyroid but the endo has not yet felt a need to treat it. I would love to be able to support her thyroid and hopefully get some relief of symptoms for her using the iodine. I would love to hear from anyone who has used this successfully with Downs.Hope

[Guest guest]

Hi Hope,My daughter has Down syndrome and autism and hypothyroid. Endos are not equipped to deal with hypothyroid. Their plan is to let it die off and then take it out or use radiation and then medicate (poorly) for the rest of the life. I know because that is what happened to me. Our kids have high rates of alopecia - which seems to be due to hypothyroid - the iodine and a very small amount of Naturethroid is really making a difference. Although suddenly she is having hair loss again, so off we go to the doc to get labs drawn. Even though my daughter's pediatrician won't prescribe Naturethroid she is willing to do labs so we know where she is, she doesn't care how I get the Naturethroid but she doesn't want to be responsible for prescribing it. You can write to me off list if you want more info. I would try to get your daughter's antibodies checked, my girl has Hashi's and I am giving her the iodine protocol. She is 13 and pretty small, 78 lbs. so I give her more of a child's dosage - 6 drops of 2% Lugols, 1000 of C, 1 cap of magnesium, selenium 100mcg every other day, and plenty of sea salt. I have an advantage (if you want to call it that) because she has a feeding tube so she doesn't have to taste or swallow any of it, I can see it being a bit difficult with how picky our kids can be. I am also giving her Low dose naltrexone as it is recommended for the Hashi's - that's why you might want to check that out. We are fortunate in that we have a very liberal and alternative psychiatrist but I've also found CNP's are generally more liberal about which medications they will prescribe. On Nov 13, 2011, at 12:43 PM, Hope Sikes wrote:

I have a 10 year old with Down syndrome. I am planning on incorporating this into her protocol at some point, once I understand everything better. Her TSH has always fluctuated, usually somewhere between 2-6. She also exhibits symptoms of hypo-thyroid but the endo has not yet felt a need to treat it. I would love to be able to support her thyroid and hopefully get some relief of symptoms for her using the iodine. I would love to hear from anyone who has used this successfully with Downs.

Hope

Higginswww.becomingaspecialneedsadvocate@...

[Guest guest]

If she is 13, she is entering puberty (or pre-puberty) and with the ramp up of hormones, thyroid tends to need to be increased. My children have needed more each time they went into a growth spurt. But the last time I increased I was able to back it back down a bit after they came out so that was really encouraging that I may just need to pulse dose it for a few months and then back it down. I wish my children didn't have to deal with taking a pill for the rest of their lives but I am so blessed that I got them dx'd early. I think I was hypo for my entire life until I got cancer. I had a mouth full of cavities even with eating a very good diet (my father was a chiro and very natural). My daughter is 9 1/2 and has yet to have a cavity. My son is 12 and had 2 surface cavities done - but now I question doing this as they were detected with a laser. I don't think I should have done anything. But live and learn.

So yes please check your children when they A) grown and enter puberty. These hormones are so important!

Buist, ND HC

Re: iodine w/Down's syndrome

Hi Hope,

My daughter has Down syndrome and autism and hypothyroid. Endos are not equipped to deal with hypothyroid. Their plan is to let it die off and then take it out or use radiation and then medicate (poorly) for the rest of the life. I know because that is what happened to me. Our kids have high rates of alopecia - which seems to be due to hypothyroid - the iodine and a very small amount of Naturethroid is really making a difference. Although suddenly she is having hair loss again, so off we go to the doc to get labs drawn. Even though my daughter's pediatrician won't prescribe Naturethroid she is willing to do labs so we know where she is, she doesn't care how I get the Naturethroid but she doesn't want to be responsible for prescribing it. You can write to me off list if you want more info. I would try to get your daughter's antibodies checked, my girl has Hashi's and I am giving her the iodine protocol. She is 13 and pretty small, 78 lbs. so I give her more of a child's dosage - 6 drops of 2% Lugols, 1000 of C, 1 cap of magnesium, selenium 100mcg every other day, and plenty of sea salt. I have an advantage (if you want to call it that) because she has a feeding tube so she doesn't have to taste or swallow any of it, I can see it being a bit difficult with how picky our kids can be. I am also giving her Low dose naltrexone as it is recommended for the Hashi's - that's why you might want to check that out. We are fortunate in that we have a very liberal and alternative psychiatrist but I've also found CNP's are generally more liberal about which medications they will prescribe.

On Nov 13, 2011, at 12:43 PM, Hope Sikes wrote:

I have a 10 year old with Down syndrome. I am planning on incorporating this into her protocol at some point, once I understand everything better. Her TSH has always fluctuated, usually somewhere between 2-6. She also exhibits symptoms of hypo-thyroid but the endo has not yet felt a need to treat it. I would love to be able to support her thyroid and hopefully get some relief of symptoms for her using the iodine. I would love to hear from anyone who has used this successfully with Downs.Hope

Higgins

www.becomingaspecialneedsadvocate@...

[Guest guest]

Thanks ,I was going to take her for a blood test in a week but decided with the two new circles of hair loss that I will increase and then take her in next month - to see if we are at the right amount. And what you say about puberty makes total sense -- we just saw buds two weeks ago - my little girl - I can't imagine her growing into puberty. I completely understand the hypo all your life - I always remember docs going for my throat, but their tests always came back "normal" yet I fought weight issues my whole life and was always just a bit sedentary - liking quiet activities more than really active stuff. My mom had issues too - could this be genetic? I think so. Thanks, On Nov 13, 2011, at 4:30 PM, ladybugsandbees wrote:

If she is 13, she is entering puberty (or pre-puberty) and with the ramp up of hormones, thyroid tends to need to be increased. My children have needed more each time they went into a growth spurt. But the last time I increased I was able to back it back down a bit after they came out so that was really encouraging that I may just need to pulse dose it for a few months and then back it down. I wish my children didn't have to deal with taking a pill for the rest of their lives but I am so blessed that I got them dx'd early. I think I was hypo for my entire life until I got cancer. I had a mouth full of cavities even with eating a very good diet (my father was a chiro and very natural). My daughter is 9 1/2 and has yet to have a cavity. My son is 12 and had 2 surface cavities done - but now I question doing this as they were detected with a laser. I don't think I should have done anything. But live and learn.

So yes please check your children when they A) grown and enter puberty. These hormones are so important!

Buist, ND HC

Re: iodine w/Down's syndrome

Hi Hope,

My daughter has Down syndrome and autism and hypothyroid. Endos are not equipped to deal with hypothyroid. Their plan is to let it die off and then take it out or use radiation and then medicate (poorly) for the rest of the life. I know because that is what happened to me. Our kids have high rates of alopecia - which seems to be due to hypothyroid - the iodine and a very small amount of Naturethroid is really making a difference. Although suddenly she is having hair loss again, so off we go to the doc to get labs drawn. Even though my daughter's pediatrician won't prescribe Naturethroid she is willing to do labs so we know where she is, she doesn't care how I get the Naturethroid but she doesn't want to be responsible for prescribing it. You can write to me off list if you want more info. I would try to get your daughter's antibodies checked, my girl has Hashi's and I am giving her the iodine protocol. She is 13 and pretty small, 78 lbs. so I give her more of a child's dosage - 6 drops of 2% Lugols, 1000 of C, 1 cap of magnesium, selenium 100mcg every other day, and plenty of sea salt. I have an advantage (if you want to call it that) because she has a feeding tube so she doesn't have to taste or swallow any of it, I can see it being a bit difficult with how picky our kids can be. I am also giving her Low dose naltrexone as it is recommended for the Hashi's - that's why you might want to check that out. We are fortunate in that we have a very liberal and alternative psychiatrist but I've also found CNP's are generally more liberal about which medications they will prescribe.

On Nov 13, 2011, at 12:43 PM, Hope Sikes wrote:

I have a 10 year old with Down syndrome. I am planning on incorporating this into her protocol at some point, once I understand everything better. Her TSH has always fluctuated, usually somewhere between 2-6. She also exhibits symptoms of hypo-thyroid but the endo has not yet felt a need to treat it. I would love to be able to support her thyroid and hopefully get some relief of symptoms for her using the iodine. I would love to hear from anyone who has used this successfully with Downs.Hope

Higgins

www.becomingaspecialneedsadvocate@...

Higginswww.becomingaspecialneedsadvocate@...

[Guest guest]

I definitely think it is genetic. My grandparents on my mom's side were both undx'd hypo. My mom is hypothyroid and then me and my children. I don't know about my father because he died before I learned all this. It's all so unnecessary.

Buist, ND HC

Re: iodine w/Down's syndrome

Thanks ,

I was going to take her for a blood test in a week but decided with the two new circles of hair loss that I will increase and then take her in next month - to see if we are at the right amount. And what you say about puberty makes total sense -- we just saw buds two weeks ago - my little girl - I can't imagine her growing into puberty.

I completely understand the hypo all your life - I always remember docs going for my throat, but their tests always came back "normal" yet I fought weight issues my whole life and was always just a bit sedentary - liking quiet activities more than really active stuff. My mom had issues too - could this be genetic? I think so.

Thanks,