Cystic fibrosis is a disease attacking mainly the lungs and digestive system. This disease is hereditary. If both parents carry the gene for cystic fibrosis, one or more of their children may be suffering from the disease. Options: 25% of children are suffering from the disease, 25% do not have the desease and 50% will carry the gene. The median age of survival is 37 years.
The mucus of the infected person is thick and sticky, clogging the bronchioles and making breathing difficult. Such blockages promote infection by bacterial growth in areas where air is trapped.
Similarly, the conduits between the pancreas and small intestine are blocked, preventing the enzymes necessary for digestion, to head the small intestine. The nutrients needed by the body are not absorbed by the body due to lack of enzyme.
Symptoms include persistent cough, wheezing, chronic infections, a deficiency in growth, loss of weight. The skin has a salty taste. Many of these symptoms can also be caused by another disease: whooping cough, asthma, bronchitis ...
Treatment for lung problems is, among others, to take antibiotics to fight infection and use of aerosols to thin the mucus in the lungs. In some cases, a transplant may be necessary.
At home, parents or relatives of the patient are required to administer the bronchial drainage, whose goal is to remove the mucus that clogs the airways. The child is placed upside down on an inclined board, the parent is slamming (steps) on the chest, then on the back. The technique of this treatment is taught by health professionals. In adolescence, the patient can usually treat themselves using appliances.
The treatment for the digestive system is to take a supplement of enzymes and vitamin E orally. The doctor, supported by specialists, develop a customized plan based on the severity of the disease, a diet rich in calories, proteins and minerals. Never start a diet without the consent of your doctor.
05 mai 2010
| The text above is for information purposes only. Only a doctor can diagnose a disease. No treatment (medication or scheme) should be undertaken without consulting a health professional. |