Child Accidentally Took Thyroid Medicine. Should I Be Worried?

Hi,

Thanks for your query to XXXXXXX

I can understand your concern regarding accidental ingestion of thyroid medicine.

Is it L-thyroxine given for low thyroid levels or antithyroid drugs given for high thyroid levels?
How many tablets has he ingested? What is the dosage of each tablet?

If it is L-thyroxine, most patients usually develops mild signs and symptoms related to heart like fast heart rate, brain symptoms like irritability and hyper alert state. Usually they don't need hospitalization but if any of these symptoms occur, a visit to ER is recommended.

There does not appear to be a reported pediatric death due to acute thyroid hormone toxicity in the literature. Accidental acute ingestion of less than 5 mg of thyroxine may be managed at home and do not require emergent medical assessment and gastrointestinal decontamination.

Don't worry. If he has popped one or two tablets, it’s not a cause for concern. Just keep a watch for the symptoms described above. He will be alright.

I will be happy to answer any further queries in this regard. If not please close the query and rate it.
Take care

Dr. Balaji Chinnasami, MD
Assistant Professor - Pediatrics

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