Follow-up study of behavioral development and parenting stress profiles in children with congenital hypothyroidism.
Recent longitudinal experiences have emphasized that the follow-up of children with treated congenital hypothyroidism (CHT) should not be limited to the cognitive domain. This study attempted to evaluate the emotional-behavioral profiles in children with CHT together with maternal parenting stress profiles. Data for child and family characteristics were collected from 47 families with a 3-12-year-old CHT child diagnosed and treated since the newborn period. Cognitive assessments were performed. The main caregiver completed the following questionnaires: (1) Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, which rated behavioral symptoms in children; (2) Parenting Stress Index, which determined the quality and magnitude of parenting stress experienced by the caregiver; and (3) Symptom Checklist-90-R, which evaluated the psychopathological symptoms of the caregiver. In addition, 31 unaffected siblings were recruited as a comparative control group. The results revealed that children with treated CHT had normal intelligence quotients (mean, 93.6 +/- 16.2) at the time of the study. However, CHT children had more problems in emotional-behavioral domains than sibling controls (p = 0.01). Overall, 29.8% (14/47) of the CHT children had emotional-behavioral problems above the clinical cutoff. In addition, 13% of the caregivers of CHT children had parenting stress above the clinical cutoff. Therefore, professional intervention is warranted in these subgroups of CHT children and parents.
Chao
Mei-Chyn
MC
Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Yang
Pinchen
P
Hsu
Hsiu-Yi
HY
Jong
Yuh-Jyh
YJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003409:Congenital Hypothyroidism / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires