A number of doctors accused a U.K. mom of harming her own child until one test revealed the terrifying truth hiding in her daughter’s food. Freya, now 4, spent her first year screaming for up to 20 hours a day, leaving her parents desperate for answers. What they eventually discovered was hereditary fructose intolerance, or HFI, a rare genetic disorder that makes common foods like fruit and vegetables toxic to her body.
According to People, Freya’s mom, Dannie, first noticed something was wrong when her daughter struggled to breastfeed and was switched to infant formula. Almost immediately, Freya started vomiting, bloating, and dealing with constant diarrhea. By the time she was 8 months, Dannie suspected HFI after frantic, detailed Google searches, but doctors dismissed the idea. Instead, they suggested reflux or colic – common explanations for a fussy baby.
