Symptoms:
Kinky, sparse, and brittle hair. Loss of hair color, arterial aneurysms, scurvy-like bone disease (ostosis), and progressive brain degeneration.


Cause:
The current theory is that it is a genetic disease, but it is actually a malabsorption problem in early infancy.

Celiac disease (primarily from feeding the infant wheat at too early an age; see Celiac Disease) can produce a copper deficiency, along with other deficiencies.

Treatment:
• Give this vital trace mineral (copper) to the child (copper IV, at 200 ug/kg/day).

• Also deal with the malabsorption problems by taking the infant or child off wheat, cow's milk, and soy milk.

• Give copper orally at 1-2 mg per day, after elimination of symptoms.