[Anonymous January 13, 1997 at 11:46 pm Post count: 93172]

#1057355

My friend’s grand daughter has Graves disease. She is 10 years old and her levels are high even after drug treatment. The doctor has recommended a thyooidectomy but I can’t find any information for
for my friend on the results of surgery in such a young child. Any input?

[Anonymous January 19, 1997 at 4:55 pm Post count: 93172]

#1165828

Children used to be never treated with RAI because of the possibility
of long-term radiation therapy effects in the expected life span of 70+
years. Also, the involvement of thyroid hormones is greater in growing,
differentiating tissues. I don’t know if this idea is changing due to the
low reported problems with RAI therapy in adults.
I would think that physicians would try the least invasive therapy first,
and use PTU and Tapazole. If that was ineffective, the other treatment
of choice is thyroidectomy.
I WOULD BE VERY HAPPY TO TALK to these people as I had my first thyroid
operation at age 12 after 2 years of PTU treatment which was not effective
enough. Thyroid operations are safe and immediately effective, just not
as convenient for anyone as RAI. Pain treatment is very effective as
it is administered with those machines now.
By the way, I had a second thyroidectomy 10 years later and my mother
also had two. My grandfather had 5. That should be in the Guinness
Book of Records.
So, I certainly can be reassuring to this family.

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