Cystic Fibrosis In Children – You Are Parents

Cystic fibrosis in children is one such disorder that every parent or anyone considering parenting should be aware of. This is due to its characteristics which make it difficult to deduce that something is wrong when the condition is completely unknown.

If the symptoms of cystic fibrosis are neglected, they can lead to unfavorable situations in the child. Some cases even become fatal.

What is cystic fibrosis?

Cystic fibrosis is a chronic inherited disease with autosomal recessive dominance. This means that a father can inherit the gene that carries the aforementioned disease from his son. Even without the parent having suffered from it.

For the disease to manifest, both mother and father need to carry the gene that transfers cystic fibrosis to offspring.

Cystic fibrosis in children is also a serious disease that can lead to death early in life if you are not aware that you have it or know the treatments to deal with it.

Children with cystic fibrosis have abnormal functioning of the processes and cells involved in the production of:

• Sweat
• Mucus (Mucus, for example, in the respiratory tract and gastric juices in the digestive system.)
• Gastric juice

The problem with this condition is that cystic fibrosis in children causes changes in the nature of the mucus, gastric juices and the like, which serve as a lubricant or decomposer of nutrients, and in this condition takes on a thick consistency and sticky.

The above implies that a cold where the mucus allows the body to flush bacteria from the lungs and airways. In the case of cystic fibrosis, the problem becomes extremely serious, as it can potentially thicken and block the airways.

Other complications

When the respiratory or digestive tract becomes blocked, several complications arise. But this is not the only way the disease poses a danger. Even though the thickening mucus layer in the intestines or lungs is good, it retains germs that are normally excreted from the body through some process in the body.

In the case of cystic fibrosis in children, they can reproduce in thickening fluids, causing foci of infection in the body that can become very serious, so in severe cases, a lung transplant. may be necessary. Anyone who suffers from this condition survives through the transplant.

Treatment of cystic fibrosis

Unfortunately, no cure for cystic fibrosis has yet been developed, which means that the treatments and practices that can overcome this disease are preventative in nature.

Until a few decades ago, children born with cystic fibrosis had an average life expectancy of only 6 months.

With the enormous evolution of health technologies and processes, as well as the knowledge of this disease, in countries with very high development rates, life expectancy can be around 50 years on average.

In the cases described, cystic fibrosis in children requires daily and disciplined care, in order to avoid at all costs the spread of any disease involving sensitization and removal of mucus.

Treatment of cystic fibrosis, in addition to the de facto precautionary measures regarding contagion, includes the use of vaccines, antibiotics as well as drugs for opening the airways or smoothing mucus.

With early detection and discipline in terms of disease management guidelines, it is quite possible to have a good quality of life.

Detection of cystic fibrosis in children

The best way to find cystic fibrosis in children is to go to your medical center for an IRT test or to look for chloride in their sweat.

However, here are some symptoms that might help you think your child has cystic fibrosis:

• Salty taste of the skin.
• Long interval between bowel movements (24 to 48 hours).
• Recurrent events of pneumonia.
• Abnormal difficulty in gaining weight.
• Severe abdominal pain in case of constipation.
• Cough with noticeable increase in mucus in the para-nasal sinuses.
• Stools with traces of mucus, which float or maintain an abnormal pale color.

Even with multiple symptoms, the presence of cystic fibrosis in children is inconclusive. Indeed, remember that the best diagnosis will always be given by a health professional.

Image of Cystic Fibrosis Courtesy: © The EUGIN Clinic