Health Topics

The exact causes of fatty liver disease are not known, but risk factors include:

• Being overweight or obese, especially around the waist
• Diabetes and insulin resistance
• High levels of triglycerides in the blood (fat in the blood)
• Race and ethnicity (Caucasians, Hispanic and Native Americans are at greater risk)

• Pain in the right upper part of the belly
• Feeling tired
• Increased levels of liver enzymes in the blood

Because children who have fatty liver disease (NAFLD and/or NASH) may not have any symptoms, your child's doctor will check his/her liver enzyme levels by taking a sample of blood. Normal liver enzyme levels vary with a child's age.

• Fatty liver or NASH
• Viral infections
• Certain medicines
• Physical activity
• Muscle injury
• Gall stones

Your child's liver doctor may recommend further testing if your child's liver enzymes are very high.

Right now, the only way to treat NAFLD and NASH is to have the child lose weight through healthy eating and increased physical activity. Usually the liver disease is reversible if it is in the early stages and no scarring is found. Some medicines, such as Vitamin E, have been shown in studies to improve severe fatty liver disease or NASH in some adults and children. It is not yet clear why these medicines don’t work for everyone, but genes and other risk factors may play a role. These medicines should be used only for children if they are involved in a study or under the care of a liver doctor, where the response to the medicine can be closely followed.

Tips

• Encourage your child to follow a healthy portion-controlled diet, with low amounts of saturated fats and refined sugars.
• Avoid large portion sizes and sweetened drinks, like soda. Limit the amount of meals eaten at fast food restaurants, since this food is usually high in fat.
• We encourage you to visit with the dietitian to learn about healthy diet choices for your child and family.
• Increasing physical activity and outdoor play is a great way to help children achieve and keep a healthy weight.

A child with NAFLD or NASH should have Hepatitis B and A vaccinations to avoid potential injury to the liver caused by these viral infections.

• Becomes jaundiced (skin and/or eyes turn yellow or green in color)
• Complains of increased belly pain or swelling of the belly or legs
• Becomes more short of breath with exercise