Cretinism describes a disease that occurs due to severe reduction of thyroid hormone which is congenital (by birth) in nature. This phenomenon can cause severe retardation of physical and mental growth. Cretinism is also known by other names like “salt deficiency syndrome” and “congenital iodine deficiency syndrome”. Cretinism can also occur in infants and more girls are affected than boys.
Categories :
Cretinism is broadly grouped under 2 categories.
- One is endemic cretinism that occurs due to iodine deficiency. This type of cretinism largely occurs in countries with iodine deficiency soils.
- Cretinism that affects the fetus during pregnancy stage can cause neurological cretinism. Repeated iodine deficiency of the mother during the trimester of pregnancy can badly affect the fetus affecting motor functions and sometimes it may also affect the brain of the developing fetus.
Cretinism Symptoms :
People (and infants) born with cretinism have marked features that distinguishes them from others. They have a short and wide face with low hair line. The base of the skull portion is short and narrow when compared with the frontal portion. Their mandibles are under-developed and maxillas are over-developed.
Their tongues are unusual in size and protruding in nature. Infants born with cretinism are sure to have developmental delays in motor function. It may take sufficient time for their permanent teeth to develop. These people do not have end part in their long bones as normal people have. Each bone has a pineal or end part which grows separately from the shaft which is known as epiphysis. For infants with cretinism epiphysis is totally absent or in some cases it may appear in later stages of development.
The skin of people born with cretinism would be dry and rough in texture. Their face and tongue are swollen and inflamed. These children often indulge in drooling from the mouth. And most importantly, these infants have problems in feeding and often develop choking problem during childhood. They have slight to moderate mental retardation which can cause reduction in learning and other skills. In addition, such children can develop heart related problems like valve abnormality and breathing difficulty.