Chance of CF

Question

Our baby was born at 33 weeks of gestation. The IRT test as a newborn was negative. The birth weight was 1650 gr and the first 5-6 months the baby gained weight very satisfactorily. Suddenly, he started having recurrent bronchiolitis. Since then he gained 200 gr monthly. Now, at 7,5 months of age (not corrected) he weighs 7100 gr. What are the chances of the baby having CF?

Answer

Dear friends,
I would like to know the concrete IRT values and if you have other, older children who may bring infections back home from school or the kindergarten.
The cause of a bronchiolitis may be CF to a small percentage, but there are other causes as well, such as allergies, asthma, infections, etc.
A baby with CF that does not gain weight and has pancreatic sufficiency has large, smelly and fatty feces and while eating regularly or more than average does not gain weight.
Its sweat is very salty. All sweat is salty, but the taste of the sweat of a CF child is like the sea.
What has your paediatrician recommended?
The negative IRT, in combination with the fact that the baby does not gain weigh despite eating well, but without having large and smelly feces, and the fact that few children with bronchiolitis will have CF, underline that the chance of your Baby of having CF is not very probable.
Yours friendly,
Dr. Stavros Doudounakis

02.06.2014