Children's Health

continued...

Serious cystic fibrosis problems or complications occur when the respiratory system or digestive system becomes damaged. Bronchiectasis, which is caused by long-lasting airway inflammation, is common. Most people who have complications will need to stay in the hospital. Treatment for complications may include medicines or surgery, depending on the person's age and symptoms.

Some of the tests that help the doctor know what kinds of problems your child is having include:

• A chest X-ray, to look for signs of lung infection or other problems.
• A CT scan, to identify any serious disease in the lungs, pancreas, or other organs.

If complications develop, one or more of the following medicines may be needed:

• Antibiotics, to treat infection
• Anti-inflammatories to reduce inflammation
• Bronchodilators and anticholinergics, to open airways in the lungs
• Medicine to control the amount and thickness of mucus and to reduce the chance of infection

Sometimes surgery is needed to treat complications of cystic fibrosis. Procedures may include:

• Chest tube drainage and possible thoracoscopy, to treat a collapsed lung (pneumothorax).
• A lung transplant.
• Repair of an intestine that has collapsed inside itself or the removal of a bowel obstruction.
• Removal of nasal polyps or endoscopic sinus surgery.
• Abdominal (belly) or perineal (anal) surgery for rectal prolapse , in rare cases.

Other treatments used to treat complications from cystic fibrosis may include:

• Blood transfusions and medicines to treat the bleeding (embolization therapy), if your child is coughing up large amounts of blood. Coughing up small amounts of blood is normal for people who have cystic fibrosis, but coughing up large amounts of blood can be life-threatening.
• Placement of a feeding tube into your child's stomach.
• Placement of a semipermanent intravenous (IV) tube in order to give your child antibiotics frequently without having to place a line in the vein each time.

Palliative care

As your condition gets worse, you may want to think about palliative care. Palliative care is a kind of care for people who have illnesses that do not go away and often get worse over time. It is different from care to cure your illness, called curative treatment. Palliative care focuses on improving your quality of life-not just in your body, but also in your mind and spirit. Palliative care can be combined with curative care.

Palliative care may help you manage symptoms or side effects from treatment. It could also help you cope with your feelings about living with a long-term illness, make future plans around your medical care, or help your family better understand your illness and how to support you.

If you are interested in palliative care, talk to your doctor. He or she may be able to manage your care or refer you to a doctor who specializes in this type of care.