[Psychological adjustment of children with phenylketonuria]

Abstract

Introduction: Phenylketonuria is an inherited disorder, which prevents the normal use of protein food and causes changes in body chemistry, which, if left uncontrolled can lead to severe learning disabilities. By following a strict low protein diet early from birth phenylketonuria children can avoid mental retardation, other somatic as well as psychiatric disorders. However, early treated children with phenylketonuria are found to have more emotional and behavioral problems. Because of the lack of correlation between elevated phenylalanine (Phe) levels and psychological adjustment recent studies strongly indicate a psychological perspective for the development of emotional and behavioral problems in phenylketonuria patients. THE AIM OF PRESENT STUDY: To evaluate psychological adjustment of Lithuanian phenylketonuria children and to find out possible reasons for psychological problems of phenylketonuria children.

Methods: Parents of 45 phenylketonuria children and 45 normal controls aged 2 to 14 years old were asked to fill in Lithuanian version of Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL, Achenbach, 1991) and a questionnaire on reactions to child's disease. The mean Phe level and IQ of some phenylketonuria children were considered as well.

Results and conclusions: Older phenylketonuria children have significantly more psychological problems than healthy peers. There were no such considerable differences found in younger groups. Parental maladjustment to child's chronic illness is related to higher levels of internalizing and other problems of phenylketonuria children.