5 Ways to Help a Child with Cystic Fibrosis Live a Longer, Healthier Life

All babies in the United States are screened for cystic fibrosis at birth. Since the disease is a genetically inherited condition, newborn babies will begin to experience symptoms shortly after birth. It is important to note that most babies that test positive during the cystic fibrosis screening will not be diagnosed with the disease. It is estimated that 90% of all babies that test positive for the disease do not have the disease. They are only carriers and will not experience any symptoms in their lifetimes.

Once a baby tests positive during the screening, additional tests will need to be prescribed in order to determine whether or not the child has cystic fibrosis. While this can be one of the scariest life experiences to have as a parent, it is actually better to receive a diagnosis as soon as possible. If your child does have cystic fibrosis, waiting to follow-up with your doctor out of fear of reaching a diagnosis could mean delaying treatments critical to your baby’s life.