Absence of thyroid hormone during early life gives a poor outlook in terms of mental development. Complications mental retardation growth retardation Calling Your Health Care Provider Call your health care provider if you feel your child shows signs or symptoms of hypothyroidism or if you are pregnant and are exposed to antithyroid drugs or procedures. Prevention Absence of the thyroid and defective thyroxine production are not preventable. Destruction of the thyroid in the fetus may occur if the mother is treated with radioactive iodine for thyroid cancer while she is pregnant . Radioiodine should be avoided unless the procedure is lifesaving.
Most hospitals now perform a routing screening test on all newborns to detect hypothyroidism.
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