There is no need to wean anyone.  And there is no need, in my opinion,
to do tests on the baby or older child every four weeks.  No wonder
the US spends 13% of its GNP on health!  Tests are not a substitute
for common sense.  The baby's thyroid will not suffer, because so
little PTU gets into the milk that there will be no suppression of his
thyroid function.  Even if it did, the pituitary would start pumping
out TSH and bring it back to normal.  (This is not the case in the
mother, whose thyroid has escaped regulation by the pituitary).  The
neutropenia (low white count) is a *rare* problem, and cannot be, in
any case, anticipated by doing blood tests.  And terrific--do a blood
sugar too.  Why may I ask?

Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC