Symptoms

Treatment

Occurrence

Prognosis

-small head size
-musty odor in child's breath, skin, or urine.
-mental retardation
-behavioral or social problems
-seizures , etc.

One in 10,000 people can get this.
Caucasians and Orientals are the only ones that can get this disease.

If treatment is followed; no significant effect on life expectancy. If treatment is not followed;PKU can lead to intellectual disability at the end of the first year of life. Can lead to development of ADHD if left untreated.

A newborn takes a PKU test. If the test is positive the newborns parents are instructed to start their infant on a "life long" diet restricting the intake of PKU. As long as PKU is avoided , the subject should have a long symptom free life.