G6PD Deficiency

G6PD Deficiency is an inherited condition wherein the body has abnormally low levels of the enzyme Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (or G6PD for short.)


What happens when your baby has this G6PD Deficiency ?
     Your baby, when exposed to infection, certain medicine, certain chemicals and sometimes stress,  can have destruction of red blood cells leading to anemia, jaundice sometimes death.


What do you do when you got a call from the lab informing you that your baby has G6PD deficiency? Or you just came from the lab, and you found out that your baby is positive for newborn screening test for G6PD deficiency?




     Go to your pediatrician's clinic with your husband or your wife or family. Your pediatrician will explain the condition to you and assure the family that there is no need to panic.
     Your baby needs to be tested for confirmatory test for G6PD.


Where are the confirmatory test centers located?
     A complete list can be viewed at their website Newborn Screening Reference Center 
      I highly suggest that you go to a private hospital where the confirmatory test is available , anyway the cost is the same, the personnel are very nice and not so snooty ,and, you can request to have the result mailed to you at an additional cost.( I had a few patients who had nasty experiences during confirmatory testing at UP Manila Newborn Screening Center, a truly nasty expirience.)


When should you go for testing?
     If your family is anxious about it, ASAP. There is nothing better than knowing what the real results are. And if your baby is tested positive earlier, the earlier you can plan for him.
     But, if you're too far from a confirmatory center and you need to build up your finances before heading there. You need to go for confirmatory testing before 6 months or before you start your baby supplementary feeding. You need to know if there are foods to avoid.


Should you still go for confirmatory testing when you already know all there is to know about G6PD deficiency and because you have already searched the Internet about foods, drugs and chemicals to avoid?
     Yes, you should. You need to know if there is  real list of drugs, foods and chemicals to avoid. And if there is none, there is no reason why your baby can't eat adobo or drink taho when he grows up.

What are the foods, medicines and substance to avoid if my baby has G6PD dficiency?
     Here's an image of the list taken from http://www.newbornscreening.ph/images/stories/downloadables/g6pd-brochure.pdf

Can you formula feed your baby when he has G6PD Deficiency?
     Breast milk is best for babies especially if your baby has this condition.
     But , yes you can give cow's milk infant formula (Unless your baby has allergies to cow's milk). Definitely, NO soya infant formula...like Isomil.


Does having G6PD deficiency make your baby perform less in school or makes him less smart?
     No. (But NOT feeding him with nutritious food does.)

Note:
          If you need information about g6pd deficiency explained in Tagalog or Filipino, you can check out  G6Pd Deficiency tried to be explained in tagalog  ( the real explanation is at the bottom of the page;-)




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