Clinical Presentation Of Type 1 Glycogen Storage Disease

Growth Failure

Infants with type 1 glycogen storage disease often exhibit growth failure. In general, they will grow more slowly than their peers, and they are often shorter than their peers as well. Healthcare professionals will check a child's height and weight at each clinic appointment, and these results are plotted on a graph and classified in what is known as a growth percentile. This information can guide physicians in making nutrition recommendations. As patients with this condition grow up, they may have delayed puberty, and females with this disorder might experience abnormalities in the development of the ovaries. To help the patient grow as well as possible and maintain a normal weight, doctors recommend eating a high-carbohydrate diet with several small meals throughout the day. Some patients with the condition find it helpful to eat up to six small meals a day. When choosing carbohydrates and sugars, patients should focus on foods with glucose instead of fructose; these foods will also help in preventing low blood sugar.