Glucose 6 Phosphate Dehydrogenase deficiency (1580)

Glucose 6 Phosphate Dehydrogenase deficiency

What is G6PD?

G6PD is an enzyme found in red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen to all parts of the body. They give a person energy. G6PD helps protect red blood cells when they are exposed to certain medicines, foods or illness.

In certain situations, when there is not enough G6PD (deficiency), red blood cells can be destroyed very quickly. Not having enough red blood cells is called anemia.

How is it diagnosed?

• The only way to find out if your child has G6PD deficiency is by a blood test. A small amount of blood is taken from your child and sent to the lab. For more information about G6PD, visit: http://www.g6pd.org

What do I need to know?

Always tell your child’s healthcare providers about your child’s G6PD deficiency.
Your child needs to avoid things that could cause anemia with G6PD deficiency (see below).
Severe illness can also cause red blood cells to be destroyed in G6PD deficiency.

Things to avoid:

Medicines

• Antimalarial medicines
• Acetanilid
• Nalidixic Acid
• Niridazole
• Doxorubicin
• Nitrofurantoin
• Phenazopyridine
• Methylene Blue
• Primaquine
• Sulfamethoxazole
• Furazolidone
• Dapsone

Your child may be able to use small amounts of the medicines listed above. If a larger dose of the medicine is needed, your child must be followed closely by a doctor.

Household products

• Mothballs (Naphthalene) - Never have moth balls in your home if your child has G6PD. They are very harmful to children with G6PD.

Foods

Fava Beans - Eating fava beans may be harmful to people of Mediterranean ancestry, like Italian, Greek, Arab, Sephardic Jew, with G6PD.

What are the signs of anemia?

• Pale skin, lips and nails.
• Feeling tired.
• A fast heartbeat and fast breathing.
• Fussiness in a baby or young child.
• Poor eating.
• Yellow color to the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice).
• Dark yellow or orange urine.

If your child has any signs of these signs, have your child checked by a doctor. The doctor may do a lab test to see if your child is anemic.

How did my child get G6PD?

• G6PD deficiency runs in families. It is passed from parent to child. There is no known way to prevent it.
• It affects boys more often than girls.
• It is often found in children whose ancestors came from areas where malaria was common. These countries are in the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Asia and Africa. It is thought that people with G6PD deficiency may have some protection against malaria.
• African Americans often have a less severe kind of G6PD.

What should be done about it?

G6PD deficiency may not be a problem for your child. Most children with G6PD deficiency will live a normal healthy life with few problems. It does not cause harm as long as your child avoids exposure to medicines and other things that might damage red blood cells.