Tests an Diagnosis

People can be tested for Cystic Fibrosis through a sweat test which measures the amount of salt in a baby’s sweat. High salt levels will indicate that they have the disease. It can also be identified through prenatal (before birth) and newborn (after birth) screening. Everybody with Cystic Fibrosis is born with it. You can’t grow into it later in life.

What is Cystic Fibrosis?

Cystic Fibrosis is a life-threatening disease that causes severe lung damage and digestive defeicentcies. It affect the cells that produce mucus, sweat, saliva, and digestive juices. Normally, these secretions are thin and slippery, but a defective gene in Cystic Fibrosis causes them to become thick and sticky. These secretions block pancreatic enzymes that help digest fats and protiens, and they prevent the body from absorbing key vitamins.