Graves’ disease

Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disorder. It causes the thyroid gland to create too much thyroid hormone in the body. This condition is known as hyperthyroidism. Graves’ disease is one of the most common forms of hyperthyroidism.
In Graves’ disease, the immune system creates antibodies known as thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulins. These antibodies then attach to healthy thyroid cells. They can cause the thyroid to create too much thyroid hormone.
Thyroid hormones affect many aspects of the body. These can include the nervous system function, brain development, body temperature, and other important elements.
If left untreated, hyperthyroidism may cause weight loss, anxiety, jitteriness, irritability, depression, and mental or physical fatigue.
symptoms of Graves’ disease
Graves’ disease and hyperthyroidism share many of the same symptoms. These symptoms may include:
hand tremors
weight loss
rapid heart rate (tachycardia)
intolerance to heat
fatigue
nervousness
irritability
muscle weakness
goiter (swelling in the thyroid gland)
frequent formed bowel movements
difficulty sleeping
A small percentage of people with Graves’ disease will experience reddened, thickened skin around the shin area. This is a condition called Graves’ dermopathy.
Another symptom the patient may experience is known as Graves’ ophthalmopathy. This occurs when the eyes may seem enlarged as a result of the eyelids retracting. When this happens, the eyes may begin to bulge from the eye sockets.
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases estimates that 30 percent of people who develop Graves’ disease will get a mild case of Graves’ ophthalmopathy. Up to 5 percent will get severe Graves’ ophthalmopathy.
Common thyroid conditions in children
Children can also get thyroid conditions, including:
hypothyroidism
hyperthyroidism
thyroid nodules
thyroid cancer
Sometimes children are born with a thyroid problem. In other cases, surgery, disease, or treatment for another condition causes it.
Hypothyroidism
Children can get different types of hypothyroidism:
Congenital hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland doesn’t develop properly at birth. It affects about 1 out of every 2,500 to 3,000 babies born in the United States.
Autoimmune hypothyroidism is caused by an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the thyroid gland. This type is often caused by chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis. Autoimmune hypothyroidism often appears during the teenage years, and it’s more common in girls than boys.
Iatrogenic hypothyroidism happens in children who have their thyroid gland removed or destroyed — through surgery, for example.
Symptoms of hypothyroidism in children include:
fatigue
weight gain
constipation
intolerance to cold
dry, thin hair
dry skin
slow heartbeat
hoarse voice
puffy face
increased menstrual flow in young women
Hyperthyroidism
There are multiple causes of hyperthyroidism in children:
Graves’ disease
Hyperfunctioning thyroid nodules are growths on a child’s thyroid gland that produce too much thyroid hormone.
Thyroiditis is caused by inflammation in the thyroid gland that makes thyroid hormone leak out into the bloodstream.
Symptoms of hyperthyroidism in children include:
fast heart rate
shaking
bulging eyes (in children with Graves’ disease)
restlessness and irritability
poor sleep
increased appetite
weight loss
increased bowel movements
intolerance to heat
goiter
Thyroid nodules
Thyroid nodules are rare in children, but when they do occur, they’re more likely to be cancerous. The main symptom of a thyroid nodule in a child is a lump in the neck.
Thyroid cancer

Thyroid cancer is the most common type of endocrine cancer, yet it’s still very rare. It’s diagnosed in less than 1 out of every 1 million children under age 10 each year. The incidence is slightly higher in teens, with a rate of about 15 cases per million in 15- to 19-year-olds.
Symptoms of thyroid cancer include:
a lump in the neck
swollen glands
tight feeling in the neck
trouble breathing or swallowing
hoarse voice