This disease, which we may also hear as PKU, is a hereditary disease caused by protein metabolism and passed to children from parents carrying this gene.
Phenylketonuria is caused by the inability to digest the phenylalanine found in protein foods. Since phenylalanine cannot be digested, it accumulates in the blood and can cause brain damage and mental retardation in babies.
So, is it possible to treat it?
Of course, it is possible, but as we say in every disease, early diagnosis is very important for this disease as well. . This disease, which can be diagnosed with heel blood taken from a newborn baby, can be treated without causing mental retardation in babies.
Treatment for phenylketonuria detected in newborn screening should be started within the first 20 days. This treatment should also include diet treatment. Diet treatment begins by examining the child's age, height, weight and blood tests, and this treatment is continued throughout life.
Foods and foods that children with phenylketonuria should not consume, can consume in limited quantities and freely. There are groups. Both the family and the child should be made aware of this issue.
Now, let's see what individuals with PKU should not consume?
Prohibitions
- Milk and dairy products (milk, yoghurt, buttermilk, tzatziki, cheese and its varieties, all foods made with them)
- Eggs
- Meat and meat products (red meat, chicken, fish, turkey meat, salami, sausage, sausage, pastrami, roasted meat, shellfish, mussels, etc.)
- Giblets (brain, liver, kidney, etc.)
- Bread (wheat, rye, oats) , corn breads)
- Dried nuts (hazelnuts, peanuts, chickpeas, seed varieties, almonds, walnuts)
- Dried legumes (dry beans, chickpeas, lentils, broad beans, soybeans, dried kidney beans)
- Ready food (crackers, biscuits, cakes, cookies, pastries and all prohibited foods)
- All beverages, gums and foods containing aspartame and phenylalanine.
Foods and food groups that should be consumed in limited amounts;
Vegetables, fruits, floury foods, olives, margarine, butter, honey, molasses, jam, lemonade. Medicinal Foods;
Low protein drink, low protein pudding, low protein cereal, low protein pasta, low pr Protein rice, low protein flour, low protein bread, low protein wafers, low protein cookies, low protein biscuits, low protein chocolate, low phenylalanine cheese, low protein semolina and many other products are included in the scope of medical nutrition. Consumption of medicinal foods is adjusted by your dietitian according to the amount of phenylalanine they contain.
Foods and food groups that can be consumed freely;
Corn starch, plain Turkish delight, plain hard candy, tea, linden, sage, oil, tea sugar, apple juice, compote water, soda, cola drinks.
Nutritional treatment is of great importance in this disease, dear followers. The aim of the dietary treatments we apply is to prevent the phenylalanine level in the blood from increasing. And that's why you should definitely get help from a dietician on this matter. Then, goodbye to a saying we often hear and which I love very much: “Let food be your medicine”.
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