Cystic fibrosis is a multi-system disease affecting the lungs, gastrointestinal track and pancreas.
Cystic fibrosis is often diagnosed on newborn screening, other infants may present with meconium ileus, failure to thrive or recurrent respiratory tract infections.
With effective preventative therapy, children with cystic fibrosis can lead a relatively normal life; this would include regular physiotherapy, antibiotics and in 80% of cases pancreatic replacement enzymes.
Later complications of cystic fibrosis include bronchiectasis, diabetes, distal intestinal obstruction syndrome, cirrhotic liver disease and infertility.
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