AMMONIA CONTROL IS IMPORTANT
There are many things to think about if you have a child with a urea cycle disorder (UCD) and it might feel overwhelming at first. The disease must be managed so that ammonia levels are kept under control. You have most likely been in contact with a doctor regarding your child’s UCD. It’s important that you follow the advice and recommendations from your doctor to ensure that your child’s ammonia levels are managed.
BE AWARE OF THE SUBTLE SIGNS
WHAT ABOUT THE FUTUREFOR MY CHILD?
A UCD can vary a lot from person to person. For some children, the symptoms are so mild that a check-up at a metabolic specialist only is needed on an annual basis. During this check-up, your doctor will get an update on possible changes that may have happened as the child grows. As the child gets older, it may be necessary to reduce the amount of protein in the food and sometimes start medical treatment.
Children that are severely affected by a UCD need to be monitored more closely and examined by a metabolic team frequently. A severe case of a UCD would also be likely to require more support both from the local community and the health care sector, which includes specialists in metabolic disorders, dieticians, paediatricians, social workers, psychologists, physiotherapists, and speech therapists. A severe case of a UCD can impact a child’s ability to learn and speak and may therefore need assessing to make sure that the education is adapted to the child’s abilities.