Penny The Penguin has PKU

About the Book

Phenylketonuria (pronounced fee-nill-key-toe-NURR-ee-uh) or PKU is a rare, inherited metabolic disorder. Each year, approximately 1 in 14,000 newborn babies are diagnosed with PKU. If you have PKU, your body cannot break down, or metabolize, the essential amino acid, phenylalanine (Phe). Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. The primary treatment for PKU is a special metabolic formula and the restriction of foods high in Phe (protein), such as meats, cheeses, milk, bread and pasta. Life-long dietary compliance is a critical component for proper growth and development in children and quality of life in adults. We hope Penny The Penguin can help your child on this “diet for life” journey.

About the Author

Laurie Bernstein, MS, RD, FADA is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Section of Clinical Genetics and Metabolism at the University of Colorado School Of Medicine, Denver; and Children's Hospital Colorado in Aurora, Colorado. Laurie is the Director of the IMD Nutrition Clinic. Laurie is a Fellow of the American Dietetic Association and a four-time recipient of the ADA's Creative Nutrition Education Award (1997, 2001, 2005, 2008) for her extensive contributions. She was presented the Children's Choice Award for Innovation in 2000, and the Health and Science Communication Association's Silver Award in 2004. Laurie is a co-founder for Metabolic University, a training forum for registered dietitians, nurses, genetic counselors, and medical doctors and a founding member of Genetic Metabolic Dietitians International. Joanna Helm, BS, is a Clinical Nutrition Master's candidate (2014) at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Oregon. She was awarded the Colorado Dietetic Association Student of the Year in 2012 and was honored as the Outstanding Student of Professional Studies at Metropolitan State University of Denver. Upon completion of her degree Joanna's goal is to become a registered dietitian and further advance research and education in the field of inborn errors of metabolism.