What is MCADD and what does it mean in daily life?
Answer
MCADD, medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency, is a metabolic condition that limits the body's ability to use fats for energy. Our son was diagnosed days after birth, after he stopped feeding and his temperature fell to 33 degrees. Day to day it means a strict feeding schedule and a plan for when things go differently, and it became normal for us quickly. I have written about the diagnosis, about the first six months as parents, and about the first hospital admission, where a metabolic crisis was averted with an infusion.