Doctor couple learned about their baby's illness from heel blood
Deniz, the 10-month-old son of the couple, Family Physician Hatice Toprak Kaydal and Obstetrics and Gynaecology Specialist Dr. Mehmetcan Kaydal, was diagnosed with phenylketonuria, a metabolic disease, with a heel prick blood sample taken when he was only 5 days old.
Expressing that they raised Deniz healthily with the diet treatment initiated thanks to early diagnosis, father Kaydal said, “Although we were doctors, we did not know much about this disease at first. We were very upset and devastated at first, but as we researched the disease and got involved, and read many informative articles and books about it, we saw that the disease was not as scary as it seemed and started our diet. During this process, with our metabolism specialist Gülay Hanım here, and in other centers we applied to, with Neslihan Hoca in Adana, and especially with the work done by the Phenylketonuria Family Association and Deniz Hanım’s help, we gradually began to understand the disease better. We are raising our son healthily with a low-protein diet for 10 months.”
Mehmetcan Kaydal, who provided information about phenylketonuria disease, drew attention to the importance of early diagnosis and said, “Phenylketonuria disease is a disease that progresses without leaving any sequelae or neurological problems in children, especially if diet treatment is started quickly after the diagnosis is made with heel blood. Children who are not diagnosed early experience neurological effects due to the rapidly rising phenylalanine in their blood and unfortunately have to continue their lives as individuals with neurological sequelae and disabilities. Our greatest chance here is to have the heel blood done and to receive the diagnosis very early as a result of the heel blood. We were surprised to see families who did not give heel blood and refused vaccinations in the news. We experienced this ourselves 10 months ago. Our lives continue beautifully thanks to the heel blood we gave and we can raise our children happily and healthily. Our greatest recommendation to families, as individuals who have experienced this situation firsthand, is definitely to have the heel blood done. Unfortunately, there is a perception and defense against heel blood in society right now. "It will not benefit them at all not to have it done. Only 4 drops of blood taken from a baby can make a diagnosis that will save a baby's life. We have experienced this. Our son was diagnosed with 4 drops of heel blood and now he continues his life in a healthy way by only eating a diet, adjusting his diet, without having to have an operation or taking medication," he said.
Stating that heel blood screening and vaccinations are vital for the health of babies, Dr. Mehmetcan Kaydal spoke as follows: “Especially our acceptance, then our families and the environment had to accept. That’s why our doctor was constantly telling us this. ‘You should accept it too and your family should accept it too’. The disease is not very well known in society. In fact, it is a very common disease, especially in the Southeast and East Anatolia, which is seen in 1 in 3-5 thousand births. However, it is not known by the public and it is considered very absurd when it is first heard. Because this disease requires a diet low in protein. Protein is also a food consumed a lot in our society. Since meat, milk, eggs all contain protein, not eating them at first is considered strange by the society and the environment. However, after the diagnosis was made during the initial disease process, our own family, my mother, my wife’s mother, and our families quickly adapted to this situation. We receive a lot of support in terms of the family. My mother makes bread and meals with low-protein flour suitable for her. My wife’s family is the same way. We should not give any food or packaged packages to these children. We also warn every family that gives birth in the hospital. ‘Get their vaccines as soon as they are born. "Have a heel prick done. Have a heel prick done, definitely give your heel prick at the family doctor on the 4th day. Because these are the most important things that will ensure a tiny baby grows up healthy. Definitely don't skip your vaccinations and heel prick screening."
Mother Kaydal said, “We live in Diyarbakır. We have a 10-month-old baby. Our baby is also diagnosed with phenylketonuria. We have been married for 5 years. We both work as doctors in Diyarbakır. When our baby was 5 days old, heel blood was taken. When he was 15 days old, they called the family doctor. They said that his blood values were high again and that we needed to donate blood. That is how he was diagnosed when he was 15 days old. Then we started his treatment with diet, diet food and breastfeeding.”
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