How to understand Cystic Fibrosis

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a lifelong threatening condition that does not affect the brain, or the physical appearance but the body's digestive and respiratory system. This illness can be developed in childhood or later in life but it is no longer a morbid condition that leads to dead thanks to significant scientific discoveries that made possible new medicines to help children suffering from CF live beyond the 30 years in age.

Facts

In the United States, over 10,000 children and young adults are carriers of the Cystic Fibrosis gene, but they have not developed the illness. Cystic Fibrosis is caused by a genetic problem due to a gene defect that makes the body produce abnormal thick mucus that causes respiratory difficulty and digestive problems.

Although medication on a daily basis can cope with those problems, this condition cannot be reversed. Depending on the severity of the problem and the age of the patient, respiratory therapy might be need along with medicine intake to avoid lung infections, which risk increases with CF.

Coping with Cystic Fiobrosis

There are several resources that can help you to understand and cope with Cystic Fibrosis, but the first thing to keep in mind are the symptoms and signs of this condition because a newborn cannot exhibit any problem until after several days, weeks, months or even years before it can be detected, and symptoms and severity can vary from one individual to another.

A person who is carrier of the gene that develops Cystic Fibrosis can develop a progressive difficulty to breathe, and his/her skin can acquire a salty taste that can be discovered with the contact of the mouth while kissing. Some people, and especially children, develop persistent wheezing, coughing, bouts of sinusitis or pneumonia, while appetite increases but there is not weight gain.

Symptoms

Not all the individuals develop all the above symptoms, but because Cystic Fibrosis shorten life span, it is necessary undergo CF tests to begin the treatment as soon as possible, although this disease has no cure, just a way to span life expectancy. There are also several tests to determine if a couple can give birth to a baby with Cystic Fibrosis.

Cystic Fibrosis is an inherited congenital occurring when a child receive two abnormal copies of a gene from parents that maybe carriers of a CF gene themselves, and its treatment is costly making necessary take the adequate health insurance for this burden disease.