Newborn Screening for Cystic Fibrosis Offers Hope
    Contributed by Lauren Beyenhof

Imagine how difficult it would be as a parent, to take your sick child from doctor to doctor, and no one knew what was wrong. The doctors seem to think your baby is merely battling a stubborn cold, or has food allergies of some sort. You know that can’t be the correct diagnosis, so you exhaust yourself searching websites that describe your little one’s symptoms, but never can quite put your finger on anything that explains it. Then you find it.

Cystic fibrosis.

Cystic fibrosis is the most common genetic disease affecting the Caucasian population. It is caused by a mutation in a particular protein in a person's DNA. This mutation causes a malfunction in the sodium and chloride transport channels. As a result, large amounts of salt are secreted in the sweat of a person with cystic fibrosis. Additionally, the body produces abnormally thick, sticky mucus which creates problems for nearly every major body function, particularly the respiratory and digestive systems.

People with cystic fibrosis are prone to frequent bouts of pneumonia and other lung infections. This is because bacteria become easily trapped in the sticky mucus that blocks the airways. Airway clearance devices and preventive maintenance medications are typically used to avoid infection. Such methods include inhaled antibiotics, bronchodilators, aerosolized medications, and chest physiotherapy.

Digestive problems also arise due to the thick mucus in the intestines and around the pancreas. Pancreatic insufficiency results when the pancreas cannot secrete the necessary enzymes to break down food. Enzymatic supplements are taken orally to aid in digestion. However, even with the supplements, people with cystic fibrosis are typically malnourished because the mucus lining the intestines prevents major vitamins like A, D, E and K from being properly absorbed into the body.

Over the last two decades there have been incredible developments in the treatment and understanding of cystic fibrosis. Ongoing research and the development of new medications are enabling some cystic fibrosis patients to survive into adulthood-something that was virtually unheard of in the past. Unfortunately, a cure remains to be found. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation reports that the mean life expectancy is a mere 36 years of age.

You’re stunned as you read about it. It sounds so scary, but all the symptoms add up and are exactly what your child has been experiencing over the last year or more. Loose, greasy, smelly, bowel movements; persistent cough and recurring lung infections; digestive problems; failure to gain weight; those funny shaped fingers. The list goes on and you can hardly process it. You are frustrated that the doctors never even thought of testing your child for this monster disease, and you wonder how much damage may have already been done to your little one’s body. You are angry, confused and sad all at once and your only thought is to get your child tested for cystic fibrosis as soon as possible.

Now imagine the empowerment of knowing as soon as your baby was born, about the unique health care requirements he or she would need. You and the doctors could work together to devise a treatment plan that would ensure the best possible health and quality of life for your son or daughter. Instead of fear of the unknown, you are given hope for the future.

Mandatory newborn screening for cystic fibrosis is not yet widespread. As of June 2007, only the following states plus the District of Columbia have mandatory newborn screenings for cystic fibrosis in place:

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming

According to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the nation’s largest provider of funding for CF research, “Early diagnosis allows for immediate intervention with specialized therapies” which “have been shown to result in improved height, weight and cognitive function, and also may help maintain respiratory function. The greatest long-term benefit of newborn screening and early intervention is an increased life expectancy and fewer hospitalizations over the course of a CF patient’s lifetime.”

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