Cystic Fibrosis is one of the uk’s most common life threatening inherited diseases it affects over 9,000 people in the uk. if two carriers of cystic fibrosis have a child there is a 1 in 4 chance that their child will have the disease. Each week 5 babies are born with the disease.
Cystic fibrosis affects the internal organs, especially the lungs and the digestive system. it does this by clogging the organs up with a thick, sticky mucus and due to this mucus a person will find it hard to breath and digest food.
symptoms to look out for cysti fibrosis in a baby are; not being able to put on weight in he childs first 4 to 6 weeks of life, nagging cough and wheezing but these (nagging cough and wheezing) could also be for other illnesses such as viral broncholitis, asthma, pneumonia or even due to a dusty, smokey enviroment. other symtoms include salty tasting skin, a big appetite with no weight gain and large greasy stools.
Sometimes the condition doesn’t become apparent until a child has had a series of repeated lung infections or severe growth problems. If you think your baby may have any of these symptoms, talk with his doctor.
Cystic fibrosis can’t be cured. But there are new treatments that can not only prolong a child’s life but may also help make that life more normal. And the earlier Cystic Fibrosis is diagnosed, the more effective those therapies will be.