Did you know that about 30,000 kids and teenagers in the United States have cystic fibrosis? Cystic fibrosis is a disease that affects the lungs and digestive organs.

In a lung that works normally, there is only a small amount of mucus. A small amount of mucus is necessary for breathing and protecting the windpipe (the tube air travels through when you breathe). But in someone with cystic fibrosis, there is too much mucus. This can make it very hard to breathe. Cystic fibrosis occurs when certain cells in the lungs, called epithelial cells, create more mucus than they should. Another problem in cystic fibrosis is that the large amount of mucus in the lungs makes them a perfect place for bacteria to grow. Too much bacteria leads to infections.

In a normal digestive system, there is mucus that covers the inside of the organs to help move the food along. The pancreas produces digestive enzymes that help break down the food you eat. Without these enzymes, food cannot be broken down, and your body does not receive any nutrients. In someone with cystic fibrosis, there is too much mucus lining the digestive organs. This blocks the enzymes from reaching the food, so the food is not digested.

In a normal body, a special protein has to be present to make mucus. In someone with cystic fibrosis, this protein is defective and does not work correctly. As a result, the defective protein makes the mucus thicker than normal.

• How does someone get cystic fibrosis?
• Is there a cure?
• Do kids with cystic fibrosis have to eat differently?

How does someone get cystic fibrosis?

Cystic fibrosis is not contagious. It is a genetic disease. This means that it is passed down from your parents through your genes. Sometimes, even if both parents do not have the disease, they can still carry the gene and give their child the disease. A person is born with cystic fibrosis. Often, it takes doctors a little while to figure out if a child has this disease, but there are some common symptoms. These include:

• Frequent lung infections
  
• Frequent coughing fits
  
• Frequent coughing up of mucus
  
• Trouble gaining weight because nutrients in food are not absorbed
  
• Delayed growth
  
• Extremely salty sweat (doctors can diagnose cystic fibrosis by measuring the amount of salt in a patient’s sweat)
  
• Difficulty breathing

Back to top

Is there a cure?

There is no cure for cystic fibrosis. It is impossible to fix the protein that causes someone with cystic fibrosis to make too much mucus. However, there are medicines that can help someone with cystic fibrosis. In addition, a respiratory therapist can teach someone with cystic fibrosis breathing exercises that can make breathing easier. To help a kid with cystic fibrosis absorb nutrients and grow properly, doctors can prescribe tablets that contain the enzymes that are normally produced by the pancreas. Finally, many kids with cystic fibrosis take vitamins daily instead of relying on their body to absorb the vitamins from food.
Back to top

Do kids with cystic fibrosis have to eat differently?

Yes, because kids with cystic fibrosis need to eat higher-calorie and higher-fat meals in order to absorb the same amount of calories and fat as normal kids. Sometimes, a family with a kid with cystic fibrosis will work with a dietician to plan appropriate meals for the kid.

Here are some tips that kids with cystic fibrosis should follow. (These tips are not for kids without the disease.)

• Add extra butter to bread or pasta
  
• Drink whole milk instead of low-fat milk
  
• Add extra cheese to pizza
  
• Add whipped cream to dessert
  
• Eat chips with guacamole instead of salsa
  
• For breakfast, have eggs with extra cheese
  
• Add cheese and bacon to hamburgers
  
• For snacks, eat cheese, nuts, trail mix or peanut butter

Living with cystic fibrosis can be hard, but with the help of doctors and dieticians, and the support of family and friends, life can still be normal!
Back to top