As well as avoiding foods with high protein content, it is important that people with phenylketonuria also avoid foods containing aspartame. ‘Aspartame is a sweetener’ in foods and drinks including diet fizzy drinks, ‘some alcopops’ and some medicines, and is ‘converted into phenylalanine in the body’ (NHS. 2019). It is important that substances for consumption containing aspartame are avoided so that phenylalanine levels in the body are not increased. 

Babies are tested for phenylketonuria by testing blood for high phenylalanine levels if a ‘high phenylalanine level is confirmed’ the patient is put on the specialised diet immediately (NHS. 2019). Regular blood tests are required to monitor phenylalanine levels, and a dietitian will ‘create a detailed dietary plan’ for the patient which can be ‘revised’ as the patient ages (NHS. 2019). Provided that a person with phenylketonuria strictly follows their specialised diet and ‘their phenylalanine levels stay within certain limits’ they will not face changes to, or issues with their ‘natural intelligence’ (NHS. 2019). 

 

Babies diagnosed with PKU may be weak and will have a low appetite, other symptoms include rashes, vomiting and irritation (NORD, 2019). Parents of babies born with PKU will start to notice a developmental delay in their child, untreated children will have an average IQ of less then 50 this is due to the breaking down of nerve fibres within the brain (NORD, 2019).

 

Pregnant females with untreated PKU are at high risk of having a miscarriage and If they are to have a child they are likely to be born with abnormal features and developmental abnormalities (NORD, 2019).