Cystic Fibrosis - Treatment Overview
Most people are diagnosed with
cystic fibrosis before they are 1 year old. After a
child is diagnosed, a team of health professionals will build a treatment plan
based on the child's specific health problems. Treatment is different for
everyone but usually involves a combination of medicines and home treatment.
Home treatments include getting rid of
mucus, eating
healthy foods 
, and exercising to help prevent infections and
complications. It can be challenging to follow a
treatment plan, but doing so will help your child live a longer, healthier
life.
The best treatment available is generally found at cystic fibrosis multidisciplinary specialist centers. These centers address the medical, nutritional, and emotional needs of people who have cystic fibrosis. You can locate one by contacting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation at www.cff.org.
Many people with cystic fibrosis and their families need emotional support to help them live with this life-shortening genetic disease. Support groups, counseling, and educating yourself about the disease can be very helpful.
Initial treatment
Usually, cystic fibrosis causes
problems with both the
respiratory and
digestive systems, although sometimes it causes
problems only in one or the other. Other parts of the body may also be
affected. Tests such as a
stool analysis,
sputum culture,
throat culture, or
lung function tests can help your doctor know how
serious the disease is and how it is affecting your child's body.
Your doctor will ask you about your child's immunizations and schedule any necessary shots. Children with cystic fibrosis should have all the recommended shots in addition to pneumococcal shots. For more information, see the topic Immunizations.
Your doctor will want to make sure that your child is eating properly and is gaining weight and growing at a normal rate. He or she will record your child's weight, height, and head size in order to keep track of how your child is developing over time.
Your doctor may also talk to you about different therapies used to treat cystic fibrosis. These include:
Respiratory therapy. Respiratory therapy refers to any treatment that slows down lung damage and improves breathing. The focus of this therapy is on reducing infection and getting rid of mucus to keep the lungs healthy. Medicines used in respiratory therapy include:
- Bronchodilators (such as albuterol or salmeterol), which are used to make breathing easier. They may also make it easier to cough up mucus.
- DNase (such as Pulmozyme), which is used to thin mucus in the lungs.
- Mucolytics (such as acetylcysteine ), to thin mucus in the lungs and also in the intestines. These are not used very much, because they can irritate the lungs.
- An inhaled saltwater solution (hypertonic saline), sometimes used to help clear mucus from the lungs. It is low-cost, and it may help reduce inflammation in the airways. 2, 3
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
Cystic Fibrosis Topics
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