About
Classic phenylketonuria (PKU) is a condition in which the body is unable to break down certain building blocks of proteins, known as amino acids. Individuals with PKU cannot break down the amino acid phenylalanine. If left untreated, PKU can cause brain damage or even death. However, if the condition is detected early and treatment is begun, individuals with PKU can lead healthy lives. Phenylketonuria is a condition with multiple forms, each with different treatments and outcomes. Classic PKU is the most severe form. Babies with PKU usually seem healthy at birth, but signs of the condition begin to appear around 6 months of age. Signs of PKU include irritability, seizures (epilepsy), dry, scaly skin (eczema), musty body odor, pale hair and skin, and developmental delays. Many of these signs may occur when a baby eats foods the body cannot break down.
Condition Type:
Core Conditions
Frequency:
In the United States, 1 in every 10,000 to 15,000 babies is affected by phenylketonuria (PKU).
More Information for Parents:
Also known as:
- Phenylketonuria
- Classic phenylketonuria
- Phenylalanine hydroxylase deficiency
- Hyperphenylalaninemia — classic type
- PAH deficiency
Core Conditions
- Propionic Acidemia (PROP)
- Methylmalonic Acidemia (Methylmalonyl-CoA Mutase Deficiency) (MUT)
- Methylmalonic Acidemia (Cobalamin Conditions)
- Isovaleric Acidemia (IVA)
- 3-Methylcrotonyl-CoA Carboxylase Deficiency (3-MCC)
- 3-Hydroxy-3-Methylglutaric Aciduria (HMG)
- Holocarboxylase Synthetase Deficiency (MCD)
- Beta-Ketothiolase Deficiency (BKT)
- Glutaric Acidemia, Type I (GA-1)
- Guanidinoacetate Methyltransferase (GAMT) Deficiency
- Mucopolysaccharidosis, Type II (MPS II)
- Biotinidase Deficiency (BIOT)
- Critical Congenital Heart Disease (CCHD)
- Cystic Fibrosis (CF)
- Classic Galactosemia (GALT)
- Hearing Loss or Varying Hearing Levels
- Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID)
- X-Linked Adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD)
- Pompe
- Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)
- Mucopolysaccharidosis, Type I (MPS I)
Secondary
- Citrullinemia, Type II (CIT II)
- Hypermethioninemia (MET)
- Benign Hyperphenylalaninemia (H-PHE)
- Biopterin Defect in Cofactor Biosynthesis (BIOPT-BS)
- Biopterin Defect in Cofactor Regeneration (BIOPT-REG)
- Ornithine Transcarbamylase Deficiency (OTC)
- Carbamoyl Phosphate Synthetase Deficiency (CPS)
- Tyrosinemia, Type II (TYR II)
- Tyrosinemia, Type III (TYR III)