The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in the front of the neck. The thyroid, and the hormones (chemical messengers) it makes, are important for growth, development, and metabolism.

The thyroid gland has two lobes. Thyroid lobectomy is a surgery to remove one of the thyroid lobes.

After the surgery, your child may have some hoarseness and a little trouble swallowing (from the breathing tube) and skin numbness around where the incision (surgery cut) was made. These should both get better with time. Here's how to care for your child at home.

• Follow your surgeon's instructions for:
  • Taking any pain medicines. These may include prescription pain medicine, acetaminophen (Tylenol® or a store brand), or ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®, or a store brand). Some prescription pain medicines also include acetaminophen or ibuprofen. To avoid giving too much, give the medicines exactly as your health care provider recommends.
  • Going for any lab tests.
  • When to follow up.
• The incision will have steri-strips, a special tape that helps hold the skin together. The steri-strips will fall off on their own. Don't try to remove them.
• It is OK for your child to shower the day after surgery. The area can get wet — but not soaked — for the first week after surgery. Gently pat the neck with warm, soapy water on a washcloth, rinse, and dry with a clean towel.
• Your child should take it easy for the first week after surgery. Most children take up to 1 week out of school, but they can return sooner if they feel up to it.
• No recess, gym, heavy lifting, or sports for at least 2 weeks after surgery.

Your child has:

• Increased neck swelling
• A lot of bruising or skin color changes on the neck
• Discharge from the incision
• Fever
• Continued hoarseness or trouble swallowing
• Continued numbness around the incision

Your child has signs that their thyroid or other hormone levels might need to be checked, such as:

• Tingling around the lips or fingers
• Stomach pain or cramps
• Racing heart, shakiness, or anxiety
• A puffy face or swelling of the hands or feet
• Constipation (infrequent, hard bowel movements)
• Feeling very cold

• Your child has severe pain.
• There is a lot of bleeding from the incision.

Who needs a thyroid lobectomy? Kids with hyperthyroidism (too much thyroid hormone), thyroid nodules, or thyroid cancer may need this surgery.

Can the thyroid work with only one lobe? The remaining thyroid lobe can usually maintain normal thyroid levels. Your surgeon or specialist will do blood tests to check your child's thyroid hormone levels.