What are symptoms of liver disease in Alpha-1?
Symptoms of Alpha-1 in infants can include jaundice (eyes and skin turning yellow), swelling of the liver, or poor growth. Most jaundiced infants do not have Alpha-1 or other liver problems, but have another harmless cause of jaundice. Blood tests can tell if the jaundice is due to a liver problem or the common harmless type. Diarrhea and poor weight gain may also happen in infants with Alpha-1 liver disease. Sometimes an infant or child is found to have a large liver or spleen when they are examined by their doctor or it may be found by a parent when the child is bathed. This can be caused by scarring in the liver caused by Alpha-1 and a number of other liver problems. Scarring in the liver can also lead to swelling of the abdomen by fluid (ascites), intestinal bleeding, or feeling weak and tired. These are the types of symptoms that may occur later in childhood or in adults with Alpha-1 liver disease. Most children and adults with Alpha-1 have no symptoms of liver disease at all. bac
