Vol. 28 - Num. 112
Clinical Reviews in Digestive Diseases
Dysphagia with an unexpected diagnosis: goiter as the hidden protagonist
Ana Sola Aparicioa, M.ª Teresa Castro García-Montesinosb, Lorena Fernández Iglesiasc, Alicia Ramos Blancoc, Raquel Sanz de Lucasd, Iván Carabaño Aguadoe
aServicio de Pediatría. Hospital Universitario de Navarra. Pamplona. Navarra. España.
bServicio de Pediatría. Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla. Santander. España.
cServicio de Pediatría. Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre. Madrid. España.
dSección de Radiodiagnóstico Infantil. Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre. Madrid. España.
eSección de Gastroenterología, Hepatología y Nutrición Infantil. Servicio de Pediatría. Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre. Madrid. España.
Reference of this article: Sola Aparicio A, Castro García-Montesinos MT, Fernández Iglesias L, Ramos Blanco A, Sanz de Lucas R, Carabaño Aguado I. Dysphagia with an unexpected diagnosis: goiter as the hidden protagonist . Rev Pediatr Aten Primaria. 2026;28:[en prensa].
Published in Internet: 23-10-2026 - Visits: 101
Abstract
Dysphagia in the pediatric population is an uncommon symptom that may result from multiple etiologies, including rare extrinsic compressive causes such as thyroid disease. Hashimoto's autoimmune thyroiditis is the most common autoimmune thyroid disorder in childhood and adolescence and typically presents as a diffuse goiter with either preserved or impaired thyroid function. Its initial presentation with compressive symptoms is unusual. We report the case of a pediatric patient whose presenting symptom was dysphagia, in whom clinical, ultrasonographic, and immunological evaluation led to the diagnosis of euthyroid Hashimoto's autoimmune thyroiditis. This case highlights the importance of considering thyroid disease in the differential diagnosis of dysphagia in pediatric patients.
Keywords
● Dysphagia ● Goiter ● Thyroiditis