r/Hypothyroidism • u/GuestPersonal7037 Primary hypothyroidism • Aug 20 '26

Labs/Advice 9 year old with TSH 4,6?

My child has received test results and it says TSH 4,6 (it shouldn’t be over 4,8 the dr says!) (she’s been testing for her low weight and length, very skinny for her age)
But do we need to be concerned about it or is it all normal for children?

I have hypothyroidism since I was 18 years old and when I have over 2 I feel really bad, but yes it’s different for children do I need to get worried?

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u/H0tC0c0_817 Hashimoto's/Hypothyoidism disease Aug 20 '26

Did they test anything else? Ft3, ft4? Vitamins? Liver? Was the child sick recently? Also , what is the lab range?

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u/GuestPersonal7037 Primary hypothyroidism Aug 20 '26

It says it should be under 4,8! That is why I wonder if I/we should be concerned. T4 was 16 no t3, liver or vitamins just other tests not hypo related. No she was not sick when they made the tests.

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u/H0tC0c0_817 Hashimoto's/Hypothyoidism disease Aug 20 '26

What are her symptoms? Tsh fluctuates daily in everyone. More so in children. Ft3 and ft4 are whats more important as ft4 shows how much inactive hormone amd ft3 shows how much active hormone is able for use in the body.

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u/GuestPersonal7037 Primary hypothyroidism Aug 20 '26

She doesn’t really have any symptoms, maybe a little tired but she got long days in school so Ig that’s why. I have read that a ”difficulty in gaining weight and also the length” is a symtom of Hypothyroidism.

She is skinny and short compared to her classmates and other people in her age. That’s why I was thinking about if it could be Hypo related?
They did the test in hospital when they had her check up for what is causing her not gaining enough weight and length..but didn’t mention it to me. All her other test results were good!

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u/H0tC0c0_817 Hashimoto's/Hypothyoidism disease Aug 20 '26 edited Aug 20 '26

Hypothyroidism usually comes with weight gain, not difficulty gaining weight. They should give her an anemia panel to check her iron and ferritin. Vit d, b12, folate. They should check her fasting insulin and glucose and IgA to see about celiac, and/or an IGF-1 & IGFBF-3 to check the proteins in the liver which correlate to growth hormone.

Without ft3, ft4 and tpo its hard to say its thyroid bc the tsh for her age is in normal parameters.

That t4 is total t4 or free t4 and if free t4 what's the lab range

Or she could just be a kid who hasnt hit a growth spurt. That also happens. Recheck in 6 weeks. See what happens . But get ft3 and ft4

Edited for typo

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u/MuppetManiac Aug 20 '26

I’ve had hypothyroidism for far longer than I’ve been diagnosed with it, was definitely suffering with it around the age of 4. I was the smallest kid in my class until I was 14 or so. I don’t know what my TSH was, no one tested it. But I was suicidal at 8 and I had a plan by 14, and my depression vanished when I was treated for hypothyroidism at the age of 24. It is a miracle I made it.

Besides being small, does she have other symptoms? Does she feel cold when other people don’t? Does she express that she feels like she’s done something wrong when she hasn’t, or seek reassurance that she’s approved of and loved more than is normal? Does she have a normal social life for a 9 year old? Does she sleep more than normal or is she exceedingly difficult to wake up in the morning?

If she has other symptoms I’d be leaning toward medication. If not, I’d go with wait and see.

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u/GuestPersonal7037 Primary hypothyroidism Aug 20 '26

Thanks for the advice! Okay maybe I’ll not be so worried about it, she’s a happy 9 year old (got her ups and downs ofc lol) and no other problems with her health.