Educational Content: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment.
Definition of Myxedema, infantile
Medically reviewed by Dr. Otari Nergadze, Neurosurgeon | Updated: January 2026
Myxedema, infantile: Hypothyroidism (subnormal activity of the thyroid gland) that starts after birth and is manifest by features including delays in growth and development and myxedema surfacing during infancy. Myxedema is a dry waxy type of swelling, often with swollen lips and nose. Infantile myxedema is also called infantile hypothyroidism. Another name, now little used, for the condition is Brissaud's infantilism, after the French physician Edouard Brissaud (1852-1909).