Your child is really small, has slimy, disgusting diarrhea, a chronic cough and always getting pneumonia related symptoms. If he has constricted breaths when he does an active objective. He is either smaller or never was a regular sized child with really salty skin or any of these symptoms. The doctor’s initial reaction should be to check your child for a disease called Cystic Fibrosis. Cystic Fibrosis is a bad disease that between 1999 and 2006, 3,708 people in the U.S. died from the disease. Cystic Fibrosis causes the mucus (snot) in your body to be thicker and more resilient. The most affected areas are the lungs and digestive system because of coughing and or swallowing the mucus. As a result, the person may get chest and or stomach infections and have a more difficult time digesting food. When cystic fibrosis is a possible result from a test, the physician will do a sweat test. This is an easy way to determine if your child has the disease, because people who have Cystic Fibrosis have a higher percent of salt in their sweat. The sweat test detects the amount of salt in the sweat of the person who is being tested. This is the best and cheapest way to diagnose the person with Cystic Fibrosis.
Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic disease, meaning that a person can’t “catch it”, it is inherited from the genes of a parent or passed down through the generations. Cystic fibrosis stays in the patient their whole life. All symptoms of Cystic Fibrosis are caused by a little mutation to the single chromosome 7. This specific gene is the one responsible for the construction of the protein called the cystic fibrosis trans membrane conductance regulator (C.F.T.R.). Usually, the gene controls the way of chloride ions into and out of the cell, but ...
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...een developed are helping in prolonging the life expectancy of Cystic Fibrosis patients. In 1940 the majority of children with Cystic Fibrosis did not live until their first birthday. By 1969 most patients with Cystic Fibrosis lived until their 14th birthday. In 1996 the average life expectancy of a person with Cystic Fibrosis is 39 years old, this figure is constantly growing ever so slightly.
Perhaps the hardest thing to deal with is the fact that there is nothing that can be done to prevent it from happening, it is simply in the DNA makeup of the individual. Cystic Fibrosis is a challenging disease to live with but the treatments that have been developed are improving the quality of life and longevity of those diagnosed with the deadly disease. Maybe with the progression in medicine, one day there will be a cure, but for now all that can be done is to hope.
Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Pathophysiology: Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease of the secretory glands that affects the respiratory and digestive system. It mainly affects the lungs, pancreas, liver, intestines, sinuses, and reproductive organs. Cystic fibrosis affects the cells that produce sweat, mucus, and digestive fluids. Mucus becomes thick and sticky, causing build-up in the lungs and blocking airways, making it easier for bacteria to develop. This prompts repeated lung infections and can cause severe lung damage after some time.
Sequeiros, IM, Jarad, NA. 2009. Home intravenous antibiotic treatment for acute pulmonary exacerbations in cystic fibrosis-Is it good for the patient?. Annals of Thoracic Medicine 4(3), pp. 111-114.
Croup: Croup is another common airway inflammation caused by virus that can affect the trachea, larynx and possibility the bronchi (Murray, Sidani, & Zoorob, 2011) thus causing infection in the upper respiratory tract. Murray et al. describes it as the most common illness in children under the age of 6 to 36 months and cause for cough mostly when a child cries; acute stridor and hoarseness in febrile children (Murray et al., 2011). It can be a life-threatening situation in the life of the young infant and the family. Croup symptoms exhibit as hoarseness, barking cough, inspiratory stridor, and respiratory distress. I chose this diagnosis as my first preference because when I read the mother’s subjective report it matches that of croup symptoms: a barking cough, no fever, severe at night and when the baby cries, fatigue due to excessiveness of the tears, pain due to inflames and swollen of the airway. Murray et al., led us to understand that the etiologies of this viral causing agent can be traced to the parainfluenza viruses, type 1. (2011). This virus is commonly spread through contact or droplet secretion.
Being diagnosed with a chronic illness is a life-altering event. During this time, life is not only difficult for the patient, but also for their loved ones. Families must learn to cope together and to work out the best options for the patient and the rest of the family. Although it may not be fair at times, things may need to be centered on or around the patient no matter what the circumstance. (Abbott, 2003) Sacrifices may have to be made during difficult times. Many factors are involved when dealing with chronic illnesses. Coping with chronic illnesses alter many different emotions for the patients and the loved ones. Many changes occur that are very different and difficult to get used to. (Abbott, 2003) It is not easy for someone to sympathize with you when they haven’t been in the situation themselves. No matter how many books they read or people they talk to, they cannot come close to understanding.
While it is rare to have a diagnosis in children younger than 12 years of age, it does happen. Average age of onse...
In the Shadow of Illness, the book describes different experiences of families who have or had children with cystic fibrosis (CF). CF is an inherited disease that is passed on from the mother or father who is a carrier, but doesn’t have the condition. Doctors have figured that in this scenario, the parents are likely to have a child with CF. Individuals with CF have to take Cotazymes to help the pancreas digest food. If the person does not take these enzymes, the food goes straight through them as diarrhea. Also, the person’s lungs are affected by a thick mucus that must be removed or thinned before it clogs. Doctors recommend the patient to perform daily breathing exercises that prevent the mucus from thickening; for example, swimming
One very special case can be displayed by none other than David Beckham, the famous international football star. He says that he has tried various treatments, but the biggest success came from learning to live with the disease (Healthguru, n.d.). His family is also very supportive of his condition, which shows how important family support is. Quoted by Victoria Beckham, his wife, “We've got three fridges - food in one, salad in another and drinks in the third. In the drinks one, everything is symmetrical. If there's three cans, he'll throw one away because it has to be an even number” (Frith,
Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a very common, potentially life threatening condition. The disease is caused by inheritance, and affects the exocrine glands of the patient. Cystic fibrosis is found primarily among Caucasians and those of European descent. Those diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis battle daily to perform simple tasks, such as breathing, as the mucus in their bodies thickens immensely. This mucus will potentially accumulate in the patient’s vital organs, such as the lungs, pancreas, and intestines. One can determine if he/she has cystic fibrosis by analyzing certain symptoms. Cystic Fibrosis can be diagnosed according to the symptoms the patient shows, and can be treated through specific types of treatments, such as gene therapy.
Cystic Fibrosis is an inherited disease characterized by the buildup of thick, sticky mucous that can cause severe damage to the body’s organs. Mucous is usually a slippery substance that lubricates and protects the linings of the airway, digestive system, reproductive system and other organs and tissue. Problems with digestion can lead to diarrhea, malnutrition, poor growth, and weight-loss. Due to the abnormally thick mucous it can can clog airways, leading to breathing problems and bacterial infections in the lungs. Bacterial infections can lead to coughing, wheezing and inflammation. Overtime these infections can lead to permanent damage in the lungs including the formation of scar tissue, known as fibrosis and cysts in the lungs (Genetics Home Reference, 2013). The symptoms and signs of this disease vary but mostly include progressive damage to the respiratory system and chronic digestive system problems. An individuals’ lungs who are infected by cystic fibrosis have bacteria from an early stage. This bacteria can spread to the small airways, leading to the formation of bacterial micro-environments known as biofilms. Biofilms are difficult for antibodies to penetrate, therefore the bacteria repeatedly damage the lung and gradually remodel the airways, resulting in difficultly to eradicate the infection (Welsh, 1995). Cystic fibrosis patients may even have their airways chronically colonized be filamentous fungi and/or yeasts. Most men with cystic fibrosis have congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens (CBAVD), a condition in which the tubes that carry sperm are blocked by mucous and do not develop properly. As well, women may experience complications in pregnancy. Either the c...
Cystic Fibrosis is a chronic non-gender biased illness which affects the digestive system and the lungs. This condition also results in the buildup of mucus, which clogs in the respiratory system as well as the pancreas. Cystic Fibrosis occurs because a defective gene causes the body to excrete excessive sticky and thick mucus that clogs the lungs leading to a life-limiting lung infections. When these thick secretions obstruct the pancreas, they prevent the digestive enzymes from reaching the intestines to aid in breaking down as well as absorbing food. However, if Cystic Fibrosis are not treated, it can be fatal as there is no cure. Research shows that each day one person dies from Cystic Fibrosis. As such, this is the most deadly condition
disease. However, fifteen percent of people are diagnosed later in life because the symptoms severity
Human body is such an enigma. It is very fragile and there is not even a single person who did not fell sick in his lifetime. Some people suffer from minor flus and some have to undergo life-threatening surgeries. There are some who will have to take medicines all throughout their life and some face horrible treatments. But the most saddening thing is suffering from a disease that is so rare that only handful people know about it. It is such a bad luck that you are one in a million who is suffering from a weird disease.
...l drugs in development for CF. There are multiple clinical trials that CF patients can take part in and help with the advancement in treatments for this disease. One clinical trial that was completed to test a new way inhaled antibiotics could be made for people who have CF and a lung infection caused by pseudomonas aeruginosa. The antibiotic drug (Amikacin) was made by wrapping the drug with liposomes. The lipsomes were thought to help the antibiotic get into the mucus to kill pseudomonas aeruginosa, and also slow down how quickly the Amikacin leaves the lung. The trial results for this trial have not been completed yet. To the average CF patients their treatment,medication and other things cost thousands of dollars yearly. Recent estimates show an excess of $40,000 per year in direct medical costs and $9,000 per year in secondary costs per cystic fibrosis patient.
Liam is a previously healthy boy who has experienced rhinorrhoea, intermittent cough, and poor feeding for the past four days. His positive result of nasopharyngeal aspirate for Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) indicates that Liam has acute bronchiolitis which is a viral infection (Glasper & Richardson, 2010). “Bronchiolitis is the commonest reason for admission to hospital in the first 6 months of life. It describes a clinical syndrome of cough tachypnoea, feeding difficulties and inspiratory crackles on chest auscultation” (Fitzgerald, 2011, p.160). Bronchiolitis can cause respiratory distress and desaturation (91% in the room air) to Liam due to airway blockage; therefore the infant appears to have nasal flaring, intercostal and subcostal retractions, and tachypnoea (54 breathes/min) during breathing (Glasper & Richardson, 2010). Tachycardia (152 beats/min) could occur due to hypoxemia and compensatory mechanism for low blood pressure (74/46mmHg) (Fitzgerald, 2011; Glasper & Richardson, 2010). Moreover, Liam has fever and conjunctiva injection which could be a result of infection, as evidenced by high temperature (38.6°C) and bilateral tympanic membra...
Pulmonary Fibrosis is a condition where the lung tissue becomes thick and scarred. The thickening and scarring of the lungs makes it hard for the oxygen supply to be delivered throughout the body. The scarring can be caused by many different factors, but it is hard for doctors to figure out exactly what caused the onset of this disease. The damage caused by this disease cannot be repaired. Pulmonary Fibrosis usually affects the age group of forty to seventy years old. Men are more likely to develop this disease, but women can also get this disease. Pulmonary Fibrosis is not a transmittable disease. Little is actually known about how the disease develops. There seems to be a genetic connection and environmental factors that cause the disease to develop.