Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a type of amino acid metabolism disorder. It is inherited. If you have it, your body can’t process part of a protein called phenylalanine (Phe). Phe is in almost all foods. If your Phe level gets too high, it can damage your brain and cause severe intellectual disability. All babies born in U.S. hospitals must now have a screening test for PKU. This makes it easier to diagnose and treat the problem early.
The best treatment for PKU is a diet of low-protein foods. There are special formulas for newborns. For older children and adults, the diet includes many fruits and vegetables. It also includes some low-protein breads, pastas and cereals. Nutritional formulas provide the vitamins and minerals you can’t get from their food.
Babies who get on this special diet soon after they are born develop normally. Many have no symptoms of PKU. It is important to stay on the diet for the rest of your life.
Prevention
An enzyme assay or genetic testing can determine if parents carry the gene for PKU. Chorionic villus sampling or amniocentesis can be done during pregnancy to screen the unborn baby for PKU.
It is very important that women with PKU closely follow a strict low-phenylalanine diet both before becoming pregnant and throughout the pregnancy. Buildup of phenylalanine will damage the developing baby, even if the child has not inherited the defective gene.
Causes
Phenylketonuria (PKU) is inherited, which means it is passed down through families. Both parents must pass on a nonworking copy of the gene in order for a baby to have the condition.
Babies with PKU are missing an enzyme called phenylalanine hydroxylase, which is needed to break down the essential amino acid phenylalanine. Phenylalanine is found in foods that contain protein.
Without the enzyme, levels of phenylalanine build up in the body. This buildup can harm the central nervous system and cause brain damage.
Symptoms
Children with untreated PKU appear normal at birth. But by age 3 to 6 months, they begin to lose interest in their surroundings. By age 1 year, children are developmentally delayed and their skin has less pigmentation than someone without the condition. If people with PKU do not restrict the phenylalanine in their diet, they develop severe intellectual and developmental disabilities.
OTHER SYMPTOMS MAY INCLUDE:
- Delayed mental and social skills
- Head size much smaller than normal
- Hyperactivity
- Jerking movements of the arms or legs
- Mental disability
- Seizures
- Skin rashes
- Tremors
If PKU is untreated, or if foods containing phenylalanine are eaten, the breath, skin, ear wax, and urine may have a “mousy” or “musty” odor. This odor is due to a buildup of phenylalanine substances in the body.
Diagnosis
PKU can be easily detected with a simple blood test. All states in the United States require a PKU screening test for all newborns as part of the newborn screening panel. The test is generally done by taking a few drops of blood from the baby before the baby leaves the hospital.
If the screening test is positive, further blood and urine tests are required to confirm the diagnosis. Genetic testing is also done.
Treatment
PKU is a treatable disease. Treatment involves a diet that is very low in phenylalanine, particularly when the child is growing. The diet must be strictly followed. This requires close supervision by a registered dietitian or doctor, and cooperation of the parent and child. Those who continue the diet into adulthood have better physical and mental health than those who don’t stay on it. “Diet for life” has become the standard most experts recommend. It is especially important for women who have PKU to follow the diet before conception and throughout pregnancy.
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