Caring for babies with G6PD deficiency

Posted on Friday, January 11th, 2008 under Babies, Children, Diet, Health, Parenting. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

G6PD deficiency and jaundice

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, one of the most common metabolic disorders afflicting newborns, requires special dietary care for both babies and their nursing mothers. Babies born with G6PD deficiency means their body lacks a specific enzyme, G6PD. Without G6PD enzyme, red blood cells have a shorter life spans when exposed to certain chemicals, usually found in food and drugs. Hence when red blood cells are destroyed (anaemic hemolysis) it will cause anaemia, resulting in dizziness, pale-skin, persistent tiredness, headache, tea-colored urine, abdominal or back pain.

Newborns are by nature born with excess amount of red blood cells. Their bodies will break down excess red blood cells and this process creates bilirubin, a waste product which their liver needs to dispose of. Often, their immature liver are taxed when excess bilirubin are required to be disposed from the body. This causes jaundice which is very normal in newborns. However, newborns with G6PD deficiency, with more than normal excess of bilirubin needed to be extracted from the body, taxes the already overloaded liver even more. As a result, they often experience higher and prolonged levels of jaundice than normal newborns.

How do you care for babies with G6PD deficiency?

Parents should take proper precautions when caring for a child with G6PD deficiency. The main thing is keep your child from being exposed to triggers of G6PD deficiency symptoms.

Newborns with G6PD deficiency may suffer from prolonged and more severe levels of jaundice. Often, if the levels are too high, mothers are advised to stop breast feeding their infants for a short period of time by paediatricians as breast milk might interfere with the liver’s ability to conjugate bilirubin.

After being discharged from hospitals, breast-feeding mothers should avoid consuming certain types of food and medications which might induce anaemic hemolysis in G6PD deficient babies. The list of food and drugs to avoid is fairly similar to the ones a G6PD deficient person should avoid. Analgesics, anti-malarials, sulphonamide drugs should be strictly avoided.

Know which types of drugs and medication to avoid: http://www.g6pd.org/favism/english/index.mv?pgid=avoid

On the other hands, there are types of drugs that are safe to take at prescribed doses: http://www.g6pd.org/favism/english/index.mv?pgid=safe

As you can see from the lists above, the number of drugs that should be avoided is fairly comprehensive. To be on the safe side, make sure every medication for your child is acquired via doctor’s prescription.

Both breast-feeding mother and child must avoid fava beans (broad beans). Fava bean remains the most common food to avoid for G6PD deficient individuals.

Keep your child away from mothballs. Do not let them touch or get close enough to inhale the scent of mothballs.

Choose milk formulaes which have no traces of soya or soybeans.

Observe your child’s diet by carefully introducing legumes such as peas, beans, lentil or various types of beans. Some people with G6PD deficiency avoid legumes, but not all. Most people shows no symptoms.

Soy products, blueberries and red wine are also trigger symptoms of G6PD deficiency but again, does not necessary affect all people.

Peppermint oil should not be used around your child’s face. In fact, breastfeeding mothers themselves should refrain from using peppermint oil too.

oliver p navato writes ...

i really find this topic helpful..my son is a g6pd baby and yet i wasnt that aware of the foods that should be avoided for my sons’ intake..if it would be not that much to ask for a favor,..can i ask for a complete list of foods that i must not serve to my kid.??

thanks..

February 23rd, 2008 at 9:40 am

Donna Frazier writes ...

Thank you for this information. I have 3 children in my family affected by this deficiency as well as my self. I have been looking every where for information. A few years ago I found a page with foods to avoid other than fava beans. Do you have such a list? If so could you please post or email it to me? There are so many doctors who don’t have a clue what this deficiency is all about.

Thanks

March 4th, 2008 at 11:19 am

Eleanor Floridis-Principe writes ...

I to have a son with g6pd and have found that a lot of doctor’s are not aware of the deficiency or if they are they can not tell me what signs to look for in case my son is affeceted. So this site has been helpful thank you. If you have a complete list of what should be avoided I would greatly appreciate if you could send it to me.
Thanks

March 30th, 2008 at 6:28 pm

Zie Leff writes ...

My godson who was just born a a week plus ago, has been diagnosed with G6PD. I too would like a list of the foods to avoid! Can you please email it to me or post it here? Thanks.

Zie Leff’s last blog post..Penang , a Malaysian restaurant in Edison, NJ

April 6th, 2008 at 2:48 am

Edwin Hilario writes ...

Hi! I live in the Philippines and I have a 1 year old child with G6pd. Im not very familiar with the legumes and fava beans. Can you send me a complete lists of these fava beans and legumes. I tried to surf the web for pictures of legumes but it seems that all vegetables and some fruits are legumes.

Thank you very much and I’ll be waiting for your favorable response.

Sincerely,
Edwin

April 14th, 2008 at 1:03 am

duane madriaga writes ...

hi! i’m a single mom (21 yrs. old). my son’s (4 mos.)have G6Pd. can i ask a complete list of foods that i should avoid and also the foods i have to serve if he’s already looking for solid foods. thank you very much. i hope you’ll be able to send me those because i really really need help for that.

April 23rd, 2008 at 4:02 am

Ulysses Ryan Relos writes ...

Hi I’m a Father to a 7 month old baby boy who has G6PD.. I found this page to be very helpful, if it’s not to much to ask can someone e-mail me with a list of foods and medication to avoid preferrably a list of foods to avoid.. My email address is uly_relos@yahoo.com.. I would kindly appreciate it.. Please continue to update this page with new information about G6PD.. Thank you

More Power and God Bless

May 1st, 2008 at 8:23 pm

Linda Kaldani writes ...

Hi,
I have three boys with this G6pd , the first time we knew about it is when my son got
sick and all his body turn in to yallow,
after a five days the doctors figer it out , and then we had to do blood transfution for him
thanks god he was okay later, and now he is 15 years old, that happend when he was one year and half.
later on we tasted my ather 2 kids they have the same thing, what i like to know is there ather food than the fava beans will treger it.
I have three boys with this G6pd, and iam trying my best to take care of them, I did ask doctors but most of them they do not know what is the G6pd.Since that happened to my son I could not let my kids eat any kind of beans, I was scard somthing like that will happen again, and until they do not eat any kind of beans.The older one is 18 now the ather one is 15, and younger one is 6 years old, the older ones they know and they traying to avoid all kinds of beans since i don’t have the right answer to is it only fava beans or not? can anyone answer me please.
Thanks to this web sit for the information.

May 6th, 2008 at 7:58 pm

Girlie writes ...

Hi! I also have a baby with G6PD. I’m not fully aware of the foods that should be avoided, please email me a copy. Thanks!
Is Fava beans the Baguio beans here in the Philippines?
Also, some cerelac have traces of soya, is this safe for my baby. I am starting to introduce solid foods, please advice what food should be avoided. I was advised by our pediatrician that if ever the baby was expose to mothballs or have eaten some restricted foods, he/she will urinate with blood? Is this true?
Thank you!

May 6th, 2008 at 11:56 pm

Arlene writes ...

Hi!Am a first mom and I have a 6months old baby boy has G6PD. His blood type is AB+. Mine is B+ and his father is A+ we can’t donate our blood to our baby so we really have to be careful.

Food should avoid:

Fava beans
red wine
legumes (beans, lentils, chickpeas, split peas, etc)
red wine
blueberries (also applied to food products containing these)
soya food (any food has soya like tofu, soysauce, etc)

* Except fava beans, there is no adequate proof as yet of the hemolytic effects of these foods.*

May 16th, 2008 at 11:53 am

kathy writes ...

hi my cousin is five months old and he has g6pd the doctor has told us to avoid fava beans but i would also like to know what else should we avoid giving him so if possible can i get a list of things that he should not eat im asking because the baby formula is not holding his hunger anymore so if i could get the list i would appreciate it thank you

May 19th, 2008 at 1:34 pm

glenda writes ...

hello everybody just want to let you know that FAVA beans is broad beans in english (fava is an intalian word)

in the philippines when my 1st child was found out to have G6PD the doctors advised to have a confirmation test at the UP Manila - PGH when they send me the result they enclosed information like the symptoms, food and medicines to be avoided that’s why i was able to control what food and medicines i can give my child. remember to read the ingredients of the food you buy and always remind your pedia that your child have G6PD everytime you go for a check up. You can also give a list of prohibited medicines at the school clinic just in case you child get sick at school. I do this every year when i enroll my children.
you can search the internet for more infos about G6PD defiency. you can also go to this site http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/general/aches/g6pd.html for more info

i have my kids eat legumes, taho, food with soy sauce every once in a while, just be care with prohibited medicines

June 2nd, 2008 at 10:39 am

jon writes ...

i have a 6 month old daughter with G6pd, if any1 can help me in what to do, foods to avoid so that it may lead to a healthy lifestyle of the child, i would be very thankful.

to ms glenda, can you email the list of what the PGH had given to you. im from phil too. jbvinoya@hotmail.com

June 10th, 2008 at 11:29 pm

Sandy writes ...

Hi,
My 8 months old son has G6PD and i got the list of meds but i need a list of food to avoid. If anybody can e-mail it to me peaches197511@yahoo.com a complete list of foods to avoid i would really appreciate it.
Thank you very much.

June 12th, 2008 at 10:40 pm

boo writes ...

my son has been diagnosed with G6PD. I am breastfeeding him. do i have to avoid all the food and drugs that he is supposed to avoid? i have been eating foods with soy sauce and soya oil. I’m afraid it might be harmful to him. What should i do?

June 23rd, 2008 at 4:31 am

quila86 writes ...

hello,

I have a 6week old with g6. he has a biliruben level of 10% and i was advised to postpone my breastfeeding. my only problem is most every formula has some trace of soy oils in it so i’m not sure which to use, any suggustions.

June 25th, 2008 at 2:38 pm

nedie s. adunay writes ...

tulad din po nyo ako ay ina rin ng may g6pd defficiecy, im always afraid what will happen to my son if he expose sa mga bawal sa kanya. tulad din po ninyo na nagnanais na magkaroon ng sapat na impormasyon o kaalaman tungkol dito.

June 27th, 2008 at 12:50 am

sim chua sy writes ...

My son is now about 1 month old. Last 2 weeks, doctor(Pedia)called and informed us that our baby is positive with G6pd deficiency at his newborn screening test. Doctor instructed us to to have my baby be retest again to confirm with this dficiency and it was confirmed positive. I have already red about list of foods, medicines even chinese medicines to avoid. But still im bothered to what food to avoid since im now nursing my child because im stil confuse with the FAVA beans and Legumes stuff. Do you have complete list of foods to avoid other than mentioned above. Pls email me. Ill gladly appreciate it.

June 27th, 2008 at 11:21 pm

sim chua sy writes ...

Heres my email add simchuasy@yahoo.com.ph

June 27th, 2008 at 11:23 pm

jotech writes ...

How would you call fava beans in other languages?

Arabic: Foolle;
Catalan: Fava;
Chinese: Tzan-Doo;
Dutch: Tuinboon;
English: Fava or Broad Bean;
Farsi (Persian): Ba-ghe-Leh;
French: Fève;
German: Favabohnen (Fava bean), Dicke Bohnen (thick bean), Saubohnen (sow bean);
Greek: Koukia (“Fava” is an appetizer made from dried fava beans);
Hebrew: Polle;
Hungarian: Lóbab
Italian: Fava (pl. fave);
Kurdish: Paqla;
Malay: Kacang Parang;
Spanish: Haba;
Turkish: Bakla (“Fava” is an appetizer made from dried fava beans);
Urdo (Pakistan and India): Lobhiya, Rajma, Jheam;
Thai (Thailand): two-ah pak-ah.

June 28th, 2008 at 2:46 am

jotech writes ...

this site may help:

http://g6pddeficiency.org

i have a G6PD grandchild and was currently browsing the web and i happen to open this site.

for the complete lists of drugs that should be avoided, try this site:

http://www.g6pd.org

they have a wide range of lists, including trade names and manufacturers around the globe. just register which country you’re in..

hope this helps..

June 28th, 2008 at 2:54 am

mel ignacio writes ...

i also have a G6PD child anh he is 3 months now. my pedia adviced me to let it be reconfirmed but due to my hectic sched we have not gone there yet. my son is not showing any sympthoms since he was born. is there a possibility that he is not a G6pd patient? what do you think? please advice me.

July 1st, 2008 at 3:03 am

merben writes ...

i also have a 1 month old daughter with an G6PD defeciency,,,if anybody can help email me “m5romero@yqahoo.com” the complete list of food to avoid i would really really apreciate it. Thank You Very Much!

July 16th, 2008 at 2:50 am

merben writes ...

my email ad : m5romero@yahoo.com

July 16th, 2008 at 2:53 am

nancy bautista writes ...

i have a niece who have a g6pd, can you send me a complete list of food to avoid i would really apreciate it. Thank you very much.

July 31st, 2008 at 11:51 pm

Jaslynn writes ...

I have G6PD & for your information, we have to avoid Fava Bean & certain chinese medicinal herbs. Most importantly, do not self-medicate (drug allergy) & always bring along the medical certificate for every visit to the doctor. This is for lifetime & knowledge about these food & drug allergies have to be passed to deficients when they start schooling.

Look out for symptoms & consult the doctors if there’s any cause for worry.

Basically, life will be as per normal.

August 5th, 2008 at 12:30 am

jan writes ...

hi..i have a son who is positive for G6PD..i jst want to have a complete list of foods and medicines that should be avoided.thanks..pls send it to my email.it will be a great help.

August 5th, 2008 at 4:41 am

myrnalen writes ...

hi im myrnalen.i also hav a son who is a g6pd and he s 2 months now.i read from the nternet that f u r breastfeeding ur baby,you should also try 2 avoid drugs n food dat r not good 4 them.can u also help me with the list of food dat are not safe 4 them 2 take. thanks

August 15th, 2008 at 7:51 am

myrnalen writes ...

my email ad s myrnalen.falcasantos@yahoo.com

August 15th, 2008 at 7:52 am

ahyie writes ...

Hi Myrnalen! My 2 daughters have g6pd and if you are from Manila you can go to National Institutes of Health (NIH) to get copies of medicines and food that are bad for G6PD positive. My husband and I are also giving my 1 year old daughter small quantities of chocolate chip cookies and so far there are no negative reactions.

September 4th, 2008 at 8:38 am

Melanie Watson writes ...

My nehphew 9 1/2 months old has just been diagnosed this week and has had a blood transfusion so I would also like a list of foods for him to avoid melanie_310@yahoo.com.au thanks

September 4th, 2008 at 9:50 pm

john sexon writes ...

i have a 3 week old son diagnosed with G6PD can anyone send me a list of food to avoid? thank you very much

September 11th, 2008 at 11:33 pm

marissa corpuz writes ...

hi..my son is 10moth old and with g6pd…pls email me the complete list of foods to be avoided.thanks

September 23rd, 2008 at 2:07 am

marife writes ...

My son is a G6PD baby he is now 4 years.But I just want to have a complete list of foods and medicines that should be avoided. I hope you’ll be able to send me i really appriciate it. Thank a lot.

marife

September 24th, 2008 at 9:31 pm

arlene writes ...

hi…my son who’s now 8 wasdiagnosedwhen he was 5 days old. His bilirubin level went up to 498, double volume transfusion was immediately given to him and my husband and I didnt have the time or option to donate our blood. We were told that because of the high volume of bilirubin in his body he could or would have been affected and his brain damaged. And the scariest thing is seeing your newborn twitching and pulling his neck which are the early signs of cerebral palsy. With our endless prayers and closely monitoring his milestones, he is now a bubbly young boy with lots of smile. He wears his medic alert bracelet and we make his teachers aware of his G6PD.
I noticed that kids who has them are mostly filipinos…? (after reading the comments). Fava beans are patani sa atin…sa pinas

September 29th, 2008 at 12:14 am