Iodine
Deficiency Disorders (IDD): Iodine
deficiency causes a spectrum of disorders:
Goitre
Cretinism
Psychomotor
defects
Spontaneous
abortions
Stillbirths
Birth
defects
Defects
of speech and hearing
Squint
Physical
growth retardation
Lower
intellectual potential (Loss of 13 IQ points)
However,
of concern is the impaired development of the brain and central
nervous system in early fetal life in humans. These changes
are irreversible and hamper learning abilities, leading to
loss of 13 IQ points in the population living in iodine deficient
areas. Further, iodine deficiency, when present in mild to
moderate proportions, may not show any visible changes in
the size of the thyroid gland but still has effects on the
brain and central nervous system development in early life.
This has been termed as the "silent scourge" affecting
the population and economy of entire nations.
