Addison's Disease in Three Six-Year-Old Boys

Addison's disease is rare in childhood. In reviewing the literature prior to June, 1945, Jaudon¹ found 12 cases in children aged 10 years or less. Since that time only 12 cases have been reported in the available literature.^2-11 Cases of adrenal failure associated with the adrenogenital syndrome were excluded, as were cases occurring before the age of 2 years, because these appear to be a separate group of patients.¹² Among these 12 cases reported, 5 were associated with hypoparathyroidism or moniliasis or had a sibling with this combination of diseases.8-11 Four of these five occurred in two families in which other cases of "the syndrome of familial juvenile hypoadrenocorticism and superficial moniliasis"¹³ occurred. In none of these cases associated with hypoparathyroidism and/or moniliasis was tuberculous involvement of the adrenal found. Tuberculosis is becoming an unusual cause of Addison's disease in childhood, as it has become in