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| Detection and Treatment |
| PKU can be detected by using the Guthrie test. By taking blood from the heel of the foot, this test checks for elevated levels of phenylpyruvic acid, a by product of phenylalanine. This tells us if the child has PKU because PKU blocks the break down of Phenylalanine into Tyrosine->Dopa=>Melanin. PKU must be detected quickly so treatment can be started within the first 20 days of life |
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| Unfortunatly there is no method of determining carriers of PKU already in the population |
| The only treatment for PKU is a diet low in phenylalanine. The diet should contain 100-200ms/Kg/Day of tyrosine and a total protein should be at 2g/kg/day. |
| Some foods that PKU afflicted people eat |
| People with PKU cant eat normally for their entire life, always watching what they eat for fear of dying, never being able to eat a juicy steak or tasting real ice cream...... |
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