Enzyme Replacement Therapies
There are many views on enzyme replacement therapies. In the end it comes down to personal preference and views.
Children that grow up without the enzymes, tend to see it as a hassle when offered enzymes later in life. They have gone through life using a diet method. They have learnt what they can and cannot eat without having to put much thought into meal times. The idea of then being able to eat that sweet cake, but having to stop and think about how much medication they will need to process the cake seems like hard work and rather annoying. It is much easier to just say no and have something on their safe list, which they don’t have to think about.
Children that have grown up with enzyme replacement therapies couldn’t imagine life any other way. To give up all the delicious foods they have become accustomed to. Hey are used to the medication process, it has become second nature to them. To them life without enzymes is unimaginable.
With this in mind it then becomes the role of the parent to decide which road their child will take. The decision is made up of many factors.
Financial:
Is it affordable to get the enzymes every month for the rest of the Childs life?
Availability:
Are the enzymes easy to obtain? Some countries have banned the use of some replacement enzymes for various reasons.
Is it safe?
Research needs to be done on the effects of the enzymes. They are a drug that is being introduced to the Childs system. Each company will make the enzymes with different chemicals. You need to be aware of all the possible side effects.
Sucraid for example was owned by a pharmaceutical company, but when they changed hands, so did the composition of the drugs they produced. This is something you would need to keep an eye on and re-evaluate regularly.
Diet Method:
You will need to research a good nutritionist that can learn with you. 99% of nutritionists will probably have never heard of the condition, so they will need to learn with you. This method can take time; trial and error is usually he key. Every person is different so this makes the research slightly harder.
At the end of the day it comes down to personal choice. What you and your child feel most comfortable with. There is no right or wrong answer. Key thing to remember is, if it isn’t working, don’t be afraid to change and try another method.
