Newborn screening (NBS) is a program run by each state to identify babies born with certain health conditions, including cystic fibrosis. Although a sweat test should ultimately be done to rule out or confirm a CF diagnosis, NBS can help you and your health care providers take immediate steps to keep your child as healthy as possible.
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Dr. Dorothy Andersen first wrote about cystic fibrosis in 1938, and our understanding of the disease has significantly evolved since. There are still many misconceptions about what CF looks like today, from the person who lives with the disease to how it manifests.
6 min read
Diagnosing CF is a multistep process. A complete diagnostic evaluation should include a newborn screening, a sweat chloride test, a genetic or carrier test, and a clinical evaluation at a CF Foundation-accredited care center.
Close to 40,000 people in the U.S. have cystic fibrosis, a rare genetic disease. The majority of people with CF are diagnosed by age 2 thanks to newborn screening tests. If you have CF or are considering testing for it, knowing about the role of genetics in CF can help you make decisions about your health care.
Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder that affects the lungs, pancreas, and other organs. Keep reading to learn how to treat and live with CF.
Active cycle of breathing technique (ACBT) combines different breathing techniques that help clear mucus from the lungs in three phases. The first phase helps you relax your airways. The second phase helps you to get air behind mucus and clears mucus. The third phase helps force the mucus out of your lungs.
2 min read
There are different ways to clear your airways. Most are easy to do. Infants and toddlers will need help from a parent or caregiver. Older kids and adults can choose airway clearance techniques (ACTs) that they can do on their own.
2 min read
Although cystic fibrosis affects many parts of the body, the focus is often on the lungs because of the disease's effect on breathing.
6 min read
Autogenic drainage (AD) means “self-drainage” and uses different speeds of breathing to move mucus. To do it, your respiratory therapist can teach you how to control your breaths. You will learn how fast and deeply to breathe to fill certain parts of your lungs with air. AD can take some practice and is usually recommended for people age 8 and older.
2 min read
Chest physical therapy (CPT or Chest PT) is an airway clearance technique (ACT) to drain the lungs, and may include percussion (clapping), vibration, deep breathing, and huffing or coughing.
10 min read