Pregnancy Signs & Symptoms, Week by Week Pregnancy Guide

If you are asking what is cystic fibrosis in babies you should know that this is an inherited condition that affects the digestive system and the lungs.

The good news is that the advancements of the medical technology promise better outlook for the affected people.

Babies’ cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis is considered a kind of condition that limits the movement of water and salt into the organs of the body, like the pancreas and the lungs. As a result the organs produce a thick mucus and other kinds of secretions. Because of the mucus the lungs will get clogged and it also makes it possible for mucus to thrive.

Because of the cystic fibrosis of the babies the bacteria that can be found in the mucus lead to lung infections and these can result in the early death of babies. On the other hand, if the digestive fluids thicken, they can clog the ducts of the pancreas and of the small intestine.

If you are asking what is cystic fibrosis in babies you should know that because of this condition the digestive enzymes won’t be able to reach the small intestines where they should break the food down. As a result the baby might have digestive problems that may lead to malnutrition.

Diagnosing cystic fibrosis in babies

In the majority of the cases the doctors screen the babies for cystic fibrosis among other health issues. As a result the babies get diagnosed 2 months after birth. In fact the tests conducted don’t say that the baby has cystic fibrosis; it only shows that there is something wrong and so the doctors continue with some follow up tests.

When asking what is cystic fibrosis in babies, you should know that the tests conducted include sweat test and it is also possible that the little one will also have a gene test with a saliva or blood sample. The sweat test is simple and painless. It is meant to measure the salt level in the sweat of the baby.

The babies with cystic fibrosis usually have higher salt levels in their bodies than the babies that aren’t affected. Both the gene test and the sweat test are accurate in diagnosing the problem. Nonetheless they can’t tell how severe the symptoms of the baby will be.

The answer to the question what is cystic fibrosis in babies can be found with the help of testing, however treating the problem is more complicated.