title: Risks of alternative nutrition in infancy: a case report of severe iodine and carnitine deficiency.
abstract: A 7.5-month-old infant with failure to thrive, developmental delay, muscular hypotonia, a visible goitre and severe osteopenia is described. Laboratory examination revealed a markedly increased serum TSH with low free T4, severe iodine and carnitine deficiency. The infant was breastfed until the age of 2.5 months and was then given a mixture of almond extract in water. The mother is a strict vegan and the father a lactovegetarian. The nutritional intake of the child was severely depleted in calories (-46%), calcium (-73%) and iodine (-88%). The restrictive alternative nutrition was responsible for the various deficiency disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of Bern, Inselspital, Switzerland.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kanaka
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schütz
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Zuppinger
mesh_terms: D002331:Carnitine / Q000172:deficiency*; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002149:Energy Intake; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007228:Infant Nutrition Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D007455:Iodine / Q000172:deficiency*; D008297:Male; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D007455:Iodine; D002331:Carnitine