Five clinically euthyroid children with lingual or sublingual thyroid glands were seen during a 12-month period. Certain recommendations have been formulated based upon our experience with these patients. A careful physical examination should be performed to demonstrate the presence of a normally located thyroid gland in all children presenting with midline masses in the lingual or sublingual areas. When the thyroid gland cannot be palpated with certainty in these children, a scintiscan with I-131 should be carried out to determine if the mass is an ectopic thyroid gland and if a normally located thyroid gland is present. All children with lingual on sublingual thyroid glands should have a trial of full replacement thyroid hormone therapy before excision is contemplated. Thyroid therapy will prevent further hypertrophy and hyperplasia. Surgical intervention should be reserved for those children in whom there is dysphagia, dysphonia, ulceration, or hemorrhage due to a lingual thyroid gland or if the ectopic thyroid gland fails to decrease in size following a course of treatment with thyroid hormones.