The number of years a child with phenylketonuria can live depends on the specific symptoms, treatment and individual factors of the child, which should be analyzed on a case-by-case basis and not generalized.
Phenylketonuria is a genetic metabolic disorder that may cause neurological damage, leading to mental retardation, motor development and a high probability of complications. If the child is diagnosed and treated early, i.e. through newborn disease screening, children with phenylketonuria are diagnosed and treated promptly. Nearly 90% of children with phenylketonuria will achieve normal intelligence, will not have an impact on life expectancy, and will generally survive for a long time. However, if the infection is detected late and already present, the life expectancy is relatively short, up to about forty years, depending on the individual.
Therefore, it is advisable to avoid consanguineous marriages and to actively screen newborns. Once it is determined that the child has phenylketonuria, it is important to treat it aggressively. The child can be given a low-phenylalanine diet on a daily basis and attention can be paid to controlling the appropriate temperature and humidity in the room.