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Thyroid Health Means Better Grades

MOMS – WANT TO GIVE YOUR KIDS THE BEST LEARNING ADVANTAGE?  HAVE YOUR THYROID CHECKED.  LEARN WHY MONITORING THYROID LEVELS DURING PREGNANCY IS IMPORTANT ON TODAY’S ENVIRONMINUTE.                          

RECENT STUDIES HAVE FOUND CHILDREN BORN FROM MOTHERS WITH CERTAIN THYROID CONDITIONS TO HAVE IQ SCORES SEVEN POINTS LOWER THAN NORMAL.  THE PROBLEM STEMS FROM THYROID HORMONE LEVELS IN THE WOMB, EITHER TOO MUCH OR TOO LITTLE.  THE CONDITIONS, AFFECTING TWO AND A HALF PERCENT OF PREGNANT WOMEN, OFTEN OCCUR WITHOUT VISIBLE SYMPTOMS, MAKING DETECTION DIFFICULT.  ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND BABIES EACH YEAR ARE BORN TO MOTHERS WITH THESE CONDITIONS.  THE CAUSES ARE POORLY UNDERSTOOD, BUT SOME EVIDENCE SUGGESTS ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES CAN CONTRIBUTE.  GOOD NEWS IS, SUBCLINICAL HYPOTHYROIDISM IS EASILY DIAGNOSED WITH ROUTINE THYROID HORMONE SCREENING, AND CAN BE TREATED WITH DAILY DOSES OF AN INEXPENSIVE MEDICATION.

THE ENVIRONMINUTE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE HEINZ FAMILY PHILANTHROPIES AND THE HEINZ ENDOWMENTS.  LEARN MORE BY VISITING ENVIRONMINUTE-DOT-COM. 

Read more in Environmental Health Perspectives.