Levothyroxine for hypothyroidism

Why is levothyroxine an important medicine?

Hypothyroidism means that the thyroid gland is not active enough and does not make enough thyroid hormone. Thyroid hormone helps to control energy levels and growth. Levothyroxine is used to replace the missing thyroid hormone.

When should I give my child levothyroxine?

Levothyroxine should be given once each day.

It is best to give your child levothyroxine in the morning, around 30 to 60 minutes before food or caffeine containing drinks.

To avoid forgetting to give your child levothyroxine, a routine of giving it at the same time each day can be helpful.

How much should I give my child?

Your doctor will work out the dose of levothyroxine for your child. The medicine label will tell you what dose to give.

The dose may be changed by your doctor or nurse according to blood test results, so it is important that you always check the label each time you collect new medicine from the pharmacy.

How do I give my child levothyroxine?

Levothyroxine is a very small tablet, and we encourage all children to swallow the tablet with water. Please visit our resource about pill swallowing for tips.

If your child is still finding it difficult, let us know and we can help.

Sometimes the dose prescribed by the doctor means the tablet will need to be cut in half.  The medicine label will tell you if you need to cut the tablet. The pharmacy can give you a tablet cutter to make this easier (see picture below).

What if my child is too young to swallow tablets?

If your child is very young or cannot swallow tablets, the tablet can be mixed with water.

1. If needed, cut the tablet using a tablet cutter provided by the pharmacy.
2. Fully pull out the purple plunger of the syringe and put the tablet into the syringe.

3. Replace the purple plunger, then draw up about 1ml of water into the same syringe.

4. Gently rotate the syringe to mix and allow the tablet to disperse into the water. This will take about 1 minute.

5. Give the full 1ml into your child’s mouth.
6. Draw another 1ml of water into the syringe to collect any bits of the tablet left behind and give this to your child.

What if my child is sick?

If your child is sick within 30 minutes of having their levothyroxine, give them another dose.

If your child is sick more than 30 minutes after having a dose of levothyroxine, you do not need to give them another dose.

What if I forget to give it?

If you forget to give a dose, give it as soon as you remember, unless it is almost time for the next dose. In this case, just skip the forgotten dose and give the next one at the usual time.

Do not give 2 doses together to make up for a missed dose.

If you often forget to give doses, it may help to set an alarm to remind you. You could also ask your pharmacist for advice on other ways to help you remember to give your medicine.

What do I do if I give too much?

You are unlikely to cause harm if you give an extra dose of levothyroxine by mistake.

If you are concerned that you may have given too much, contact the specialist nurses or call 111.

Are there any side effects of levothyroxine?

Your child is unlikely to get side effects if the dose of levothyroxine is correct.

If the dose is too high your child may:

• feel or be sick
• diarrhoea
• difficulty sleeping
• weight loss
• restlessness or excitability
• feeling hot and sweating

You should speak to your doctor if your child is experiencing these symptoms.

If your child has a fast heartbeat or chest pain, you should contact your doctor for advice.

Can I give levothyroxine at the same time as other medicines?

Check with your doctor or pharmacist before giving any other medicines to your child.

You can give your child medicines that contain paracetamol or ibuprofen with levothyroxine, unless your doctor has told you not to.

Try to avoid giving calcium or iron supplements at the same time as levothyroxine, as this may affect how well levothyroxine works. Speak to your doctor, specialist nurse or pharmacist who will help you to work out when to give supplements.

How do I store levothyroxine?

Levothyroxine should be stored out of the reach and sight of children at room temperature, away from heat and direct sunlight.

Where can I get new prescriptions?

Your GP will prescribe levothyroxine on repeat prescription. Make sure you order supplies from your GP in good time to prevent you from running out.