noun. A congenital condition caused by a deficiency of thyroid hormone during prenatal development and characterized in childhood by dwarfed stature, mental retardation, dystrophy of the bones, and a low basal metabolism.

noun. In pathology, a condition of imperfect mental development or idiocy, with a corresponding lack of physical development, or deformity, arising from endemic causes, found among the inhabitants of the valleys of Switzerland and Savoy, and elsewhere.

noun. A condition of endemic or inherited idiocy, accompanied by physical degeneracy and deformity (usually with goiter), frequent in certain mountain valleys, esp. of the Alps.

noun. A condition of severely stunted physical and mental growth due to the untreated congenital deficiency of thyroid hormones.

noun. severe hypothyroidism resulting in physical and mental stunting

"For example, Thailand (only a half standard deviation below the US) has recently started a what appears to be a well-designed, sensible national program to boost average IQ by fortification of staple foods with iodine and other essential micronutrients in order to prevent IQ-lowering medical syndromes like the medical condition known as cretinism, which is caused by lack of iodine (the US instititued fortification of all salt with iodine back before WWII to eliminate cretinism)."

cretin  

hypothyroidism  

Buddha  anasarca  blasterfire  bloomer  chirruping  

acromegaly  amentia  arrested development  backwardness  blithering idiocy