Inherited Causes of Liver Disease

Diseases that can afflict children's livers include galactosemia, cystic fibrosis, glycogen-storage disease, polycystic disease and hepatic fibrosis, and sickle cell anemia. Although Wilson's disease and hemochromatosis also start in childhood, their effect on the liver may not become evident until adult life. It is important to recognize both diseases, for Wilson's disease responds to penicillamine and hemochromatosis to repeated bloodletting.