PKU Update

I realize that we haven't posted an update on Gracie's PKU in quite a while... It's probably because her case is mild--which is rare in kids with PKU--and we haven't had to make drastic changes in her life. Blessed! :) At this point--20 months old--the only foods we've kept out of her diet are meat, eggs, and peanut butter. This is a lot easier to do than we originally thought--we just never introduced these foods, and she hasn't really known what she's been missing! Her body is able to digest SOME phenylalanine (one type of protein)--so we still let her eat dairy--which is something most kids with PKU are unable to do. She gets most of her protein from a special formula we add to her milk each day. At this point, we have her blood tested once a month and adjust her diet--usually the amount of formula that's added to her milk--accordingly after the results. We've just started taking her blood samples at home instead of going in to the lab. All-in-all, we are pretty blessed to have such a mild strain of this genetic disorder. The other good news we have received is that our next baby has a 25% chance of also having PKU, but his case would be very similar to Grace's--mild.

We are very blessed!

(This is a picture of the yogurt container that Grace emptied, threw away, and promptly retrieved from the garbage to lick clean...)