[Acute recurrent suppurative thyroiditis in childhood].

Acute suppurative thyroiditis in children is very rare and has been reported in only six cases. We describe a 4 1/2 year old girl who presented with acute suppurative thyroiditis of the left lobe. All thyroid function tests were normal but the radioisotope scan showed decreased activity over the upper pole of the left lobe. The child was treated with massive doses of antibiotics and gradually recovered. Three years later she presented with exactly the same findings in the left lobe of the thyroid. Thyroid function tests were again normal but repeated radioisotopic scan showed decreased activity over the left upper pole. Again she recovered gradually under massive antibiotic treatment. A follow up scan showed great improvement with almost complete recovery of activity in the left lobe.