How to Care for a Child with Metabolic Disorders

Metabolic disorders are inherited problems that affect a child's ability to digest carbohydrates or the amino acids in proteins. Doctors must diagnose infants with metabolic disorders and offer nutritional intervention soon after birth, as untreated metabolic disorders can cause severe side effects, such as neurological impairments. Most hospitals screen newborns for metabolic disorders allowing proper dietary management right away.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Low-protein foods
• Vitamin D
• Dietary supplements
• Sodium benzoate

1. Restrict the phenylalanine intake of children diagnosed with hyperphenylalaninemia metabolic disorders. The child can choose low-protein pastas, breads and cookies provided by dietary specialty companies for this purpose.
2. Offer a low tyrosine diet and restrict the phenylalanine in the diet of children with tyrosinemia metabolic disorders. Patients with some types of tyrosinemia require vitamin D supplementation to prevent a fatal onset of rickets.
3. Reduce the amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine for children with maple syrup urine diseases. Parents can buy specially prepared liquid formulas designed for children with these disorders.
4. Keep children with urea cycle disorders on a low protein diet. Ask the doctor if your child has a urea cycle disorder that requires supplementation with sodium benzoate.
5. Increase the caloric intake but decrease the protein intake of children managing one of the organic acidemias. If the condition becomes acute, the child may require IV fluids and bicarbonate to prevent toxic acidosis.
6. Provide a galactose and lactose-free diet for children diagnosed with galactosemia or galactokinase deficiency. Children with this condition must eliminate all milk, butter, cheese, yogurt and ice cream from their diet.

Tips & Warnings

• See a doctor for a complete dietary and pharmaceutical regimen tailored to the child's specific metabolic disorder.