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-Phenylketonuria, commonly known as PKU,  is a rarely inherited genetic disorder. It causes an amino acid called Phenylalanine to build up in the body.
-PKU is actually caused by a defect in the gene that helps our body create the enzyme needed to break down Phenylalanine. Phenylalanine Hydroxylase. 1, 2, 5

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PLN is an amino acid, aka a building block of proteins, that is ONLY obtained through food.  PLN is needed for the synthesis of proteins, and the hormones made by your adrenal gland. 1

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Heel Prick is a blood sample taken from the heel of an infant a few days after birth. 

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How will I know if I have PKU and what are the symptoms? 

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How will I know if I have PKU and what are the symptoms? 

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-PKU is usually detected a few days after birth through the results of the 'Heel Prick' and can be very dangerous if detected later on in life, because PKU can be very harmful to the brain.
-Seizures, loss of skin color, urine odor and delayed development are all symptoms of PKU. 6

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-Beef, Chicken, pork, tofu, and vegetables like sweet potatoes are just a few foods that you must avoid with PKU. Since they are all very high in levels of PLN.
- One of the best ways to treat PKU and avoid these dangerous foods filled with PLN is a special diet that limits foods that re high in protein, because PLN is a very common protein in most 'regular' foods. Consider a vegetarian diet, while avoiding potatoes. 2, 3

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-PKU is inherited from both your mother and father. Meaning you can only for sure have this disorder if your parents have the defected gene or traces of it. So you cannot guarantee that the child of two PKU carriers will also have PKU.
-Mark Lavery, an Irish actor from the movie "Handsome Devil" is a good example of this. 1, 8

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-PKU was discovered in 1934 by Dr. Asbjörn Fölling (falling) .  He discovered PKU after testing the Urine of two children with severe mentally damaged brains.
-He identified that PKU was Autosomal Recessive and that it was caused by a block in phenylalanine metabolism. Thanks to him, PKU was identified as the first hereditary metabolism proven to affect the mind. ⁶

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-Well according to an informative article posted by Medlineplus in 2017.  One in every 10,000 to 15,000 newborns are diagnosed with PKU a few days after birth. There are about 16,500 people in the United States today that have been diagnosed with PKU.
- People with European and Native American ancestry are most likely to be diagnosed with PKU.  The disorder is much less common for people with African, Hispanic or Asian ancestry. 2, 9

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-CPN is a non-profit organization that supports and provides  online/in person services for children that were born with PKU and all those involved in treatment of the genetic disorder.
-They regularly offer support materials through their medical journal article and also through brochures. The network promotes education concerning the needs of PKU families and even establishes programs for college scholarships. ⁷

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I would like to acknowledge:
HealthLine ⁵
Irelands National Public service media ⁸
Mayo Clinic 1

MedlinePlus ²
MyFoodData.com ³
NORD ⁷
National PKU news ⁶
US department of Health and Services 9
Washington state department of health ⁴