[Postnatal iodine excess with hypothyroidism and respiratory pauses. Danger of the cutaneous application of iodine chemicals].

A hypothyroidism with moderate goiter was discovered in a newborn presenting with repeated apnoea indicating a severe risk of sudden death. The mother was given no iodine-rich drug. However, the child was submitted to several large applications of iodized alcohol to the skin for numerous blood samplings. Treatment with thyroid extract resulted in the disappearance of the respiratory pauses and return to euthyroidism within 3 months.