What Should Patients with Phenylketonuria Eat? Sample diet list

Phenylketonuria patients should eat and those who should not eat, and a special diet is required. Phenylketonuria is a disease that is transmitted through family involvement and prevents the metabolism of phenylalanine in protein foods.

Phenylalanine substance, which cannot be metabolized, can destroy the brain by penetrating body fluids and blood. This disease can be diagnosed in newborn babies and can be treated with early diagnosis. If left untreated, it can cause severe intellectual disability and many disorders that may occur due to the nervous system in children.

What are the Symptoms of Phenylketonuria?

Babies with phenylketonuria, no symptoms can be observed in the first few months. There is no difference in the first few months between a healthy baby and a baby with Phenylketonuria. In this process, it is very important to start the treatment. Because the symptoms will start to show themselves from the 4th month. The symptoms continue to increase according to the process and the symptoms that can be seen in order can be listed as follows;

• nervous system symptoms begin to occur in the month.
• 5 and signs of mental retardation appear in the 6th and 6th months. During this period, none of the skills such as speaking and sitting develop.
• Babies with phenylketonuria may have a small head. This is because their brain development is not normal.
• Excessive hand and arm movements can be observed.
• Skin rash, vomiting, epileptic seizures and the formation of a musty odor on the skin and perspiration can be counted as the other symptoms.

Foods that Phenylketonuria Patients Can and Cannot Eat

Phenylketonuria sample diet list should be obtained from an expert dietitian. The foods that patients with phenylketonuria are forbidden to eat can be listed as follows;

• Meat and meat products
• Milk and dairy products
• Animal internal organs such as brain, liver, kidney
• Normal bread
• Nuts
• Prepared foods
• All foods containing aspartame and phenylalanine

Recipes for phenylketonuria patients should be specially prepared and much attention should be paid to the foods consumed. It is necessary to strictly comply with the list obtained from a dietitian who is an expert in his field.