Andrea asks about babies with PKU.  They have an inborn error of metabolism
caused by an inherited genetic anomaly, which until the cause was
discovered, led to significant mental disability.  Human milk is tolerated
better than ordinary formula because it has naturally lower phenylalanine
content, and that is the amino acid people with PKU can't break down.  But
even human milk can exceed the baby's limit for safe levels, and they need a
closely supervised diet throughout childhood.  Boys are OK once CNS
development is done, but girls need to follow strict diets when they become
pregnant, or their condition will cause harm to the fetus, whether or not it
has PKU.

PKU is quite rare.  Even in Scandinavia which has the highest incidence of
it in the world, it occurs in about one in 10,000 births.  Treatment of PKU
seems to be one of the true improvements brought about by modern medicine.

Naturally the doctor who identified it was Norwegian ;-).
Rachel Myr
done with all the back issues of digests and now truly no mail.  Lucky I
didn't go cold turkey!

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