Cystic Fibrosis
Finding out that your child has Cystic Fibrosis (CF) can be overwhelming. The Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital Cystic Fibrosis team is here to help you navigate this diagnosis and its challenges. As part of Pulmonary Medicine, the fully accredited Cystic Fibrosis Center at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital is proud to serve the cystic fibrosis community though the state of Missouri and Southern Illinois. Our multi-disciplinary care team is staffed by SLUCare Physician Group providers who are equipped to provide the best and highest quality CF care in the region. We take pride in the excellent health outcomes our patients have. In addition to our clinical care, we have regular quality improvement initiatives to further improve your children's care as well as multiple research opportunities.
What is Cystic Fibrosis?
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease of the glands that make mucus and sweat. It affects the body by producing thick mucus in varying organ systems. Signs, symptoms, and severity of CF can vary between individual patients.
Common symptoms include:
- Very salty tasting skin
- Persistent cough, sometimes with phlegm
- Recurrent lung infections
- Wheezing or shortness of breath
- Poor growth and slow weight gain
- Frequent greasy, bulk stools or difficulty in bowel movements
- Sinus infections
- Reproductive problems in males
A child inherits CF when one parent is a carrier and then passes the defective gene to the child. If both parents are carriers, there is a 25% chance (1 in 4) that a child will have CF. There is a 50% chance (2 in 4) that the child will carry one copy of a gene, and a 25% chance (1 in 4) that the child will not have CF or be a carrier.
With more than 2,100 known genetic mutations potentially causing CF (the most common being F508del), it’s no surprise that parents and patients can become overwhelmed. Visit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to learn more about CF.
Treatment Team
Our approach provides patients and families access to a team of subspecialty clinicians that are expertly trained in CF care. If needed, we will call in other specialists to be involved in your child’s care.
- Pediatric pulmonologist specializing in cystic fibrosis
- Cystic fibrosis nurse navigator
- Psychologist
- Respiratory therapist
- Dietitian
- Social worker
- Genetic counselor
- Pharmacist
- Pharmacy concierge
- Endocrinologist
- Gastroenterologist
- Otolaryngologist (ENT doctor)
Contact Our CF Center
We are here to help you and your family through this journey.
Phone: 314-268-4107
Fax: 314-268-2765