High Ammonia Levels and Disease in Children

High ammonia levels in children may be a sign of a serious condition. Doctors may order lab tests to determine a child's ammonia level if the child appears to have diminished alertness or is acutely ill.

Identification

• Increased levels of ammonia in a child may mean that the body is not metabolizing and eliminating ammonia. Short-lived increases in ammonia are common with infants and may not cause any notable symptoms. An elevated ammonia level in children and adults may indicate kidney or liver damage.

Liver Disease

• Ammonia levels increase if the liver fails to function normally. A test to measure the amounts of ammonia in a child's body may be ordered if liver disease is present or suspected, along with other liver function tests. This may be done if a child becomes acutely ill.

Reye's Syndrome

• Reye's syndrome is an illness that is most commonly seen in children, although it can occur at any age. This condition usually occurs in conjunction with viral illness such as the chickenpox or flu. Reye's syndrome causes symptoms such as vomiting, delirium, seizures, loss of consciousness and personality changes. Reye's syndrome may cause elevated ammonia levels in children.

Hemolytic Disease

• Hemolytic disease in newborns is also known as anemia. Hemolytic disease causes an increased ammonia level in newborn babies and can cause the red blood cells in the newborn's body to be rapidly destroyed. Jaundice may also occur as a result of anemia due to red blood cells that are being broken down rapidly. These blood cells may be converted to bilirubin in the skin, giving the skin a yellow tint.

Acute or Chronic Illness

• A rise in ammonia levels in children may be triggered as a result of acute or chronic illness. Specific lab tests may be ordered to measure the amount of ammonia in a child's body.