Acute suppurative thyroiditis in a 10-year-old child

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Acute suppurative thyroiditis in children is a rare and potentially life-threatening thyroid disease that requires rapid diagnostics and treatment.
 CLINICAL CASE DESCRIPTION: A clinical case of a 10-year-old girl with a thyroid abscess is described. She had fever, painful neck swelling, sore throat, tachycardia, restricted neck movement, and dysphagia for 6–7 days. The treatment consisted of antibiotic therapy, incision and drainage of the abscess using local ozone therapy. It was found that causative agents were Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The girl had a follow-up examination in 9 months after the discharge — there were no signs of thyroid pathology.
 CONCLUSION: Although acute suppurative thyroiditis is extremely rare in children, it occurs sometimes. Since this condition may be associated with a piriform sinus fistula, the child must be examined for it because of the risk of recurrence.