Hypothyroid and autism link

[Concernedkay]

Hi, I'm 8 months postpartum and had bloods checked for hair loss and aches and pains and they have come back showing I have a normal t4 range with a high tsh level. It could be postpartum thyroiditis or it could develop into permanent hypothyroidism. I am being tested next for antibodies.

I've been reading about the link of hashimotos and autism and it's made me very worried as I've only been tested now so don't know if I had normal levels during pregnancy. Can anyone let me know how their pregnancies went with this and if they're children developed normally?

Thank you x

I have hashimotos and DS has ASD. I had no idea about the link - off to Google now. But I wouldn't change a hair on his head, OP. He's 18, delightful, and doing well. Try not to worry.

I have had an under active thyroid since 1993. My children are 23/19 so much later. First child not ND, second one possibly. I also have post partumn rheumatoid arthritis. It is usually hereditary.

@CamelliaAndPrunus

Hi thank you for your response. Can I ask were you diagnosed before or after your pregnancy? Also when did your son start showing symptoms?

Thank you

I was diagnosed as hypo postpartum and neither of my children (17 & 14) have any diagnoses. DD has been tested for hypothyroidism as a precaution and her level were normal.

I’m pretty sure mine was caused by pregnancies and hasn’t affected my children. Try not to over-think this. 💐

@GordonsAFGirl

Hi yes my mum has rheumatoid arthritis which is probably why I've developed an autoimmune issue. I'm being tested for antibodies for that as well

@HamBone

Hi thank you for your response. That's comforting to hear. So your postpartum thyroiditis became permanent? X

Yes, @Concernedkay , I’ve been on Levothyroxine since my mid-30’s ( now 48) and have blood work every 6-12 months in case the dosage needs changing. My thyroid seems to have gone to sleep permanently. 🤣

But, the medication really does work. After just two weeks on it, I had far more energy and my hair started thickening up. I haven’t experienced any other side effects such as weight gain.

So don’t despair, modern treatments are highly effective.

Actually my Mum also has rheumatoid arthritis so perhaps there’s a connection?

@HamBone yes my Dr told me and I also read that autoimmune diseases are hereditary. So whether it's thyroid, arthritis or diabetes type 1 we have more chance of getting (at least) one of them 😒

I was diagnosed six months after he was born. The theory given by an endocrinologist was that pregnancy caused it. So I would have had it while pregnant, I suppose.

Sorry, I missed your second question. Looking back, he had symptoms as a tiny baby, a few weeks/months old. He has only just been properly diagnosed.

I had undiagnosed hypothyroidism during my second pregnancy and probably my first too. I did get tested while pregnant with dd2, and my levels were not right but my GP said to just get tested again after giving birth. My TSH during pregnancy was 8.5.
Neither of my children have ASDs , but I do feel angry with my GP and maternal care team that they left me unmedicated, as it increases the risk of stillbirth too. (I didn’t know this at the time).
It seems there may be an increased risk, perhaps because thyroid hormones are important for brain development in utero. Congenital hypothyroidism (cretinism) causes severe learning difficulties.
However OP, it is a small increase in risk, so not a given.

Also I felt unbelievably tired during the second pregnancy which is why I was tested. If you weren’t symptomatic during pregnancy then you have probably only developed it post partum.

My mum has had hashimotos since she was a teen. She wasn’t medicated until after I was born. Neither I nor my brother have been diagnosed as neurodiverse.
I now have hashimotos too (and so does my mums sister, and my grandmother was diagnosed with an under active thyroid in her 40s/50s). Both my children have no signs of neurodivergence at this stage (5&3) - I started taking levothyroxine after my daughter was born.

@CamelliaAndPrunus

Sorry to pry, what symptoms did you notice when he was a baby? I'm so glad he's doing well now x

@SirVixofVixHall

Wow that's incredibly negligent of them, I'm so glad your baby was fine! I actually had a lovely pregnancy which is why this has been such a shock and I haven't gained any weight at all instead I've lost loads. My levels at 7 month were tsh 10.6 apparently very high and t4 at 14, which is normal but on the lower end. So I guess to still have normal t4 levels hopefully means they were sufficient during pregnancy. I think I am going to ask for my baby to have his thyroid tested though I know that the heel prick test includes congenital hypothyroidism, which he doesn't have, I would like to know that he has healthy levels.

@SBAM

Thank you that's very comforting to know x

Mainly that he was extremely alert, couldn't settle, didn't feed well. Had sensory sensitivities and would scream and scream. Would stare at objects rather than faces, for a very long time. That was all even as a newborn. Later on, his first word was 'owl', not mama or dada, and he was obsessed with spinning objects from crawling age - washing machine, wheels etc. Didn't like being held really, but also didn't like being put down! The buggy or the car were sometimes the only places he would sleep. It got better, thank god!

He has some difficulties now, but he is coping really well and will be going to uni in September.

It sounds from reading the other replies that although there might be a correlation it certainly isn't clear cut. It's too early to know, but does your baby seem to be developing ok?

@CamelliaAndPrunus

Hi yes he seems to be developing completely fine thank you. He's hitting all his milestones, he's very sociable lots of eye contact, giggles, feeds well, sleeps well, loves being held it's his most favourite thing. I just get concerned because alot of people say delays come out of the blue at toddler ages and I wasn't worried before but after reading about this link and newly being diagnosed its made me overthink. That's great your son is starting uni, what is he studying? X

2dc. During 1st I was diagnosed hypothyroid had meds until after pregnancy. Then back to normal. 2nd dc was hypothyroid from first bloods so they think I may have been since before then. Both are neurotypical. I've been on levothyroxine since- no issues.

I've had hypothyroidism since I was 25. First baby aged 29, hashimotos finally diagnosed at 33. She has adhd and autism, she attends mainstream school and is so intelligent, 2nd child is only 6 months so no idea if he will also be diagnosed in the future although it wouldn't surprise me.

I was diagnosed with an under active thyroid 10 years before having my eldest who is autistic, but I think that’s more to do with the fact many people on both sides of the family are probably ND my youngest it’s too early to tell.