MCADD - Symptoms of MCADD

Symptoms of medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (MCADD) can occur:

  • after not eating (fasting) for a long period
  • during or after an infection, such as the common cold – being ill increases the body’s demand for energy and can also cause loss of appetite

Symptoms of MCADD include:

  • your baby or child appearing unusually tired, sluggish and lazy
  • being sick
  • excessive sweating
  • rapid breathing
  • swelling of their liver, which may be noticeable by touch
  • seizures (fits)

Older children and adults may appear unusually nervous and excitable.

If left untreated, MCADD can be life-threatening. The brain can swell, causing brain damage, the liver can stop functioning (liver failure) and there’s a risk of slipping into a coma.

You will be given an emergency contact number to call immediately should your baby or child start experiencing the symptoms of MCADD.

If this information is not easily available, call 999 for an ambulance or go to your nearest accident and emergency (A&E) department and tell them your child is experiencing symptoms of MCADD.

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