When symptoms do not make sense, Check Ammonia.
Hyperammonemia can present with neurological, behavioral, gastrointestinal, developmental, or unexplained symptoms. Early recognition and testing can help protect the brain.
Identify
Recognize signs and symptoms that may indicate hyperammonemia or an undiagnosed metabolic disorder.
Check
Order a plasma ammonia level promptly when symptoms are unexplained.
Emergency
Call a metabolic geneticist when an inborn error of metabolism is suspected.
A simple test can provide an important clue.
Elevated ammonia can occur in newborns, children, and adults. Symptoms may be mistaken for infection, liver disease, neurological illness, psychiatric conditions, or other diagnoses.
When the clinical picture does not make sense, a plasma ammonia level can help identify a potentially serious metabolic emergency.
Learn more about hyperammonemia →Start Here
Explore clinical information, educational resources, and awareness tools for families, healthcare professionals, and community partners.
Patients & Caregivers
Learn from patient and family experiences and understand why awareness and earlier recognition matter.
Explore Patient Stories →Medical Professionals
Access clinical information about recognition, testing, specimen handling, and additional resources.
View Clinical Information →
Check Ammonia Toolkit
Download clinical resources, educational materials, pocket cards, and awareness graphics.
Visit the Toolkit →Symptoms Can Look Different at Different Ages
Hyperammonemia may present differently in newborns, children, and adults. Knowing the patterns can support earlier recognition.
Neonatal
Poor feeding, vomiting, changes in consciousness, encephalopathy, respiratory distress, and other unexplained neonatal symptoms.
View Neonatal Symptoms →Infants, Children & Adults
Neurological, psychiatric, gastrointestinal, developmental, behavioral, and episodic symptoms may occur later in life.
View Later Onset Symptoms →Accurate collection and handling matter.
Learn when ammonia should be checked and review the essential steps for collecting, transporting, and analyzing a plasma ammonia sample.
Help spread the Check Ammonia message.
Download educational resources, clinical materials, pocket cards, awareness graphics, and tools you can share with families, clinicians, hospitals, schools, and communities.
Explore the ToolkitWhen symptoms do not make sense, Check Ammonia.
Hyperammonemia can happen at any age.