Cretinism

The word "cretin" has oftenly been linked to have originated from the Old French "chretien" meaning "Christian". In hopes of escaping persecution, Heretical Christians, regularly fled into iodine-deficient valleys in the Pyrenees in southwest France and as a result, had children with congenital hypothyroidism. Cretinism, otherwise known as congenital hypothyroidism (inactive thyroid gland - at birth) resulting in growth retardation, developmental delay and other abnormal features(Allara). The absence of the thyroid gland functioning correctly …

…such as a simple blood test or taking a small pill once a day. While pregnant, if the mother is being treated with radioactive idoine, destruction of the thyroid in the fetus is oftenly a result. Unless the procedure is a life and death situation, radio-iodine should be avoided at all cost (Halpern). Mothers taking antithyroid medications should be tested after birth for indication of the drug induced transient hypothyroidism. <Tab/>