An audit of the management of thyroid disease in children with down syndrome

Children with Down syndrome are at a higher risk of thyroid dysfunction than children in the general population. The aim of this audit was to determine thyroid screening practice at University Hospital Limerick and to compare it to the Irish guidelines for the medical management of children with Down syndrome. The thyroid function tests (TFT) of 148 children with Down syndrome were assessed through retrospective database review. Overall compliance with the guidelines was 79/148 (53%), although this varied by age category. The 0-5 years category had a compliance rate of 47/54 (87%), the 6-11 years category was 22/51 (43%), and the 12-17 years category had a compliance rate of 10/43 (23%). The guidelines are effective for monitoring purposes, although performing an annual TFT throughout childhood may be warranted.