Medical Treatment and Care for Cystic Fibrosis
People with Cystic Fibrosis receive their health care from a multidisciplinary team of specialist doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, dieticians and other health professionals. These professionals work together to provide nationally recognised NHS standards of care.
They will attend regular hospital appointments to have their health monitored and the CF nurse will provide outreach support to the family who provide the daily care at home.
Their transition from paediatric care, where they will have formed attachments with the medical professionals who care for them, to adult care where the personnel and the procedures are different, can be very challenging for these young people. They are supported through this transition process by both teams working together for a period of time as the young person settles into the new environment and becomes familiar with the team.
Everyone with Cystic Fibrosis will also have a daily treatment regime that is carried out at home
Treatment includes:
Physiotherapy to help clear thick mucus from the lungs and help reduce chest infections and prevent lung damage.
Parents are taught how to do physiotherapy with their child by the physiotherapist in the CF clinic. Adults with CF can learn to carry out their own physiotherapy.
There are lots of different techniques to help clear the mucus from the lungs and the CF physiotherapist will advise and train the parents and later the young person carry out effective physiotherapy for each individual.
The physiotherapist will also advise the parent on the frequency and duration of physiotherapy required and this may change as the person grows or when they have a bout of infection.
Different techniques may be introduced as the person gets older.
Antibiotics and other medication to treat repeated chest infections and breathlessness; special high fat and protein diet with vitamin supplements and pancreatic enzymes to aid digestion and prevent weight loss.
