ATF Children’s Section

Thank you for visiting the Children Section of The ATF website.

The ATF believe all Australians should be aware of the benefits of Good Thyroid Health and how to achieve it.

The ATF encourage all Australian children to know why the Thyroid Gland is so important to your health and how the hormones produced by the thyroid gland help you grow and learn.

Learning how to choose healthy food options which include iodine, will ensure your development and body function reaches its full potential.

During coming months the Children’s Section will include Colouring In Competitions with prizes to be won and more information, which I am sure you will enjoy.

The Thyroid Gland

Everyone needs energy to help us walk, talk, eat, play and concentrate in the class room. The Thyroid Gland gives our body energy through producing thyroid hormones. These hormones feed every cell in the body. Without enough thyroid hormones our body will slow down and become sluggish.

Thyroid hormones are very special. Before you were born, your mother needed thyroid hormones for your development, particularly your brain development. When you were born you made your own thyroid hormones which you now rely on.

Iodine is an element which is usually found in our soil and water, which our body uses to make thyroid hormones. Unfortunately Australia no longer has enough iodine in our soil or water and therefore our thyroid gland needs help from diet choices. Children between the ages of 0 -7 years need 90 ug (micrograms of millionths of a gram) and children between 7 -12 years need 120 ug.

Bread makers have replaced normal salt with iodised salt in their recipes which include iodine. We can also get some iodine from seafood, dairy milk or dairy products, eggs and foods containing iodised salt. It is very important we eat foods every day which include iodine.

The main hormone your thyroid gland makes is called Thyroxine. This hormone is responsible for our body’s energy level and helps our body digest the food we eat.

As you get older, you will learn how the body works and why thyroid hormones, particularly Thyroxine is so important.

We have a story on this page which is about a Tadpole named Roxy who turns into a Frog. Tadpoles cannot change into a Frog without enough iodine in their diet to make thyroid hormones.

We hope you enjoy the story and look forward to you visiting the ATF website again.