12-Year-Old Massachusetts Boy Goes Blind After Diet of Hamburgers and Donuts

A 12-year-old boy who ate only junk food has lost his sight forever. The child suffers from autism and has a strong fear of new food. That is why the child ate only burgers, French fries with cream sauce, donuts and drank juice from cartons. This diet is so poor in vitamins that it caused blindness, writes Daily Mail.

Photo: Mohammad Shamsul Islam | Dreamstime.com

At the beginning of this year, the child began to have problems with his vision, he had "blackouts" in the mornings and evenings, his vision improved only during the day. A month and a half later, he could no longer walk without his parents' help, and often bumped into doors and walls.

One night the boy woke up screaming that he couldn't see.

The teenager was taken to hospital where doctors discovered that his diet had left him severely deficient in vital nutrients that keep the optic nerves healthy.

On the subject: The restaurant of Russian rapper Timati has opened in California

Despite supplements and a special therapeutic diet, experts fear the boy's vision loss is irreversible.

Doctors at Boston Children's Hospital say the child has avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), an eating disorder that affects about half of autistic children to varying degrees.

This new disorder causes about one in 200 Americans to limit their food choices because of anxiety about the taste, color, smell or texture of food.

The boy was born two months premature and suffered from a lack of oxygen, and the birth was difficult. But he had no underlying medical conditions other than autism and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). The child was diagnosed with delays in speech, cognitive abilities and motor skills. Two days before hospitalization, his parents reported that he had swelling and crusting around his eyes. Sometimes they noticed that their son was looking at the wall instead of the TV.

The boy's parents described him as a "picky eater" and said he avoided trying new foods and/or vitamins because he didn't like the texture.

Doctors discovered the teenager had optic nerve atrophy, which causes the cells in the eye to deplete due to long-term damage.

They believe the vision loss was caused by a severe deficiency of vitamins A, C, D, as well as copper and zinc, due to the boy's limited diet.

In particular, vitamin A deficiency is one of the most common causes of childhood blindness in the United States.

This nutrient is a key component of rhodopsin, a light-sensitive protein that helps produce pigments in the retina that allow us to see in low light.

Vitamin D helps the eyes produce tears, which are essential for preventing dryness and washing away impurities. Copper and zinc protect the cells and structure of the retina, and vitamin C helps protect the eyes from UV damage.

While vitamin A deficiency affects only one in 100 Americans, experts estimate that nearly 70% of children under age 11 may be deficient in vitamin D.

One in five children in the United States does not get enough vitamin C, although severe deficiency, called scurvy, is extremely rare in developed countries.

However, recent data suggest that scurvy rates have tripled from eight cases per 100 children in 000 to 2016 per 27 in 100. Scurvy causes tooth loss, brittle hair, flaky skin, difficulty gaining weight and anemia.

The boy's nutritional deficiencies caused him to develop horizontal grooves on his toenails as they became brittle.

Researchers noted that autistic children are more prone to ARFID and other eating problems because of their unique sensory perception, which makes them especially sensitive to textures, tastes and smells.

Children with autism often tend to have routine behavior, so they may have preferences for certain foods.

The Massachusetts boy received supplements of vitamins A, C, D and K, as well as calcium, thiamine, copper and zinc while in the hospital.

You may be interested in: top New York news, stories of our immigrants and helpful tips about life in the Big Apple - read it all on ForumDaily New York

The patient's nutritional levels returned to normal and he began eating lettuce and cheese on his hamburgers after the family used behavioral therapy.

His parents added a clear vitamin supplement to his juice boxes, although he began to refuse them after a few weeks.

However, doctors said the patient's optic nerve atrophy was severe. Damage at such a late stage is usually irreversible. If the problem had been detected earlier, there might have been some improvement in vision.

Read also on ForumDaily:

One Dead, Dozens Sick After Contaminated McDonald's Hamburgers

What doctors eat for breakfast: recipes for healthy and quick dishes

'Food is medicine': an expert shared his secrets to longevity

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.